Four drown after boat of illegal immigrants capsizes near Gwadar

Police says rescue operation still ongoing in case there are more victims

QUETTA: At least four people drowned after their speedboat capsized near Gwadar and the Iranian border in the Arabian Sea, while they were en route to Iran.

“Four bodies were brought to the District Headquarters Hospital Gwadar by local fishermen,” District Police Officer (DPO) Gwadar  Pervez Umrani told The Express Tribune, adding that the incident is being investigated by officers.

The DPO said that there could be more people who drowned, but their bodies are yet to be pulled out.

One of the victims was identified as Mohammed Basheer, a resident of Mansehra.

“All the victims belonged to Punjab, and wanted to enter Iran from where they planned to head to Europe. They were illegal immigrants,” a fisherman taking part in the rescue operation said. The bodies were floating when local fishermen spotted them.

The speedboat had the capacity of holding eight to 10 people, and it could be possible that there were more than 12 people on-board. However, the reason for the capsize could not be ascertained immediately.

“The boat capsized in the Iranian territory, which is why the reason of the incident is yet to be ascertained not be known yet,” an official of the Balochistan Levies said.

According to local officials, dozens of illegal immigrants try to cross the border illegally via speedboat.

“Three bodies have not been identified yet,” Umrani said, adding that the Levies and police are jointly investigating the incident, while the rescue operation is ongoing, in case there are more victims.

Iran often hands over dozens of illegal immigrants who try entering Iran without valid travelling documents to Pakistani authorities in the bordering towns of Taftan and Makuran division in Balochistan.