By Staff Reporter
MINGORA: A boat carrying tourists capsized on a lake fed by Swat River on Wednesday, killing seven people, rescue officials said, the latest in a series of drowning accidents that have plagued the popular summer tourist destination.
Two other passengers were pulled from the water alive after the vessel overturned at Saifullah Lake in the Kalam area of Upper Swat, according to Rescue 1122 Swat, the provincial emergency service.
Seven bodies were recovered from the lake and transported by ambulance to Kalam Hospital, rescue officials said. Emergency teams and ambulances were dispatched to the scene after the control room received reports of the accident, they said.
District administration officials had earlier given a partial toll of five bodies recovered, with search teams working to locate four tourists reported missing. Authorities did not immediately reconcile the figures or provide further details on what caused the boat to capsize.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said he was grieved by the accident and offered condolences to the families of the victims. He directed authorities to intensify the search for anyone still missing and said the operation should continue “until the last missing individual is recovered.”
Kundi also called for stricter enforcement of boating regulations and safety measures at tourist sites across the province.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Suhail Afridi ordered officials to submit an immediate report on the circumstances of the accident and said anyone found negligent would face strict action. Afridi described the incident as heartbreaking and said the provincial government stood with the affected families, several of whom lost more than one member in the tragedy.
The Swat River and its adjoining lakes draw large numbers of visitors each summer, but strong currents, sudden fluctuations in water levels and limited awareness of river hazards have repeatedly put tourists and residents at risk.
Last month, two women from the same family were swept into the Swat River in the Jala Wanan area of Malakand district after a young girl slipped into the water and was carried away by the current. Rescuers recovered the body of one woman and pulled another from the river unconscious; the girl was not found.
In June last year, at least 17 tourists were swept away when water levels in the Swat River rose suddenly. Authorities have repeatedly urged visitors to avoid unsafe stretches of rivers and lakes and to observe safety guidelines while boating or visiting waterfront areas.
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