SHANGLA: The search for five people missing in separate drowning incidents in the Indus River entered its seventh consecutive day on Friday, with rescue teams yet to recover any of the victims or locate significant evidence of their whereabouts.
Authorities have decided to extend the operation downstream to the Tarbela Dam reservoir, where officials believe strong river currents may have carried the missing persons or a submerged vehicle.
Search continues across multiple locations
Joint rescue operations are ongoing at Shang Bela, Koz Batkot and Dandai in Shangla district, involving Rescue 1122, police, local volunteer divers and residents.
Teams have been using rescue boats and available equipment to search different stretches of the river. However, swift currents, deep water and difficult terrain have continued to hamper recovery efforts.
Two missing after vehicle plunged into river
According to SHO Basham Syed Khurshid, the first incident occurred near Sur Kamar in Shang Bela, where a vehicle carrying Shangla Police official Peer Sajjad Ali Khan, a resident of Damorai, and his companion Samiullah Kohistani fell into the Indus River.
Search teams have been trying to locate both men and the submerged vehicle since the incident.
During the same period, three more people went missing in separate drowning incidents in the Koz Batkot and Dandai areas, bringing the total number of missing persons to five.
Tarbela Dam search planned
Officials said a joint team of police officers, Rescue 1122 personnel, volunteer divers and family members will travel to the Tarbela Dam reservoir on Saturday to expand the search.
Authorities believe the river’s powerful downstream current may have carried the victims or vehicle into the reservoir.
Families seek advanced rescue equipment
Rescue 1122 Shangla said its specialized water rescue teams have continued operations daily despite hazardous conditions, including strong currents, deep water and difficult underwater terrain.
The families of the missing individuals have appealed to the federal and provincial governments, district administration and relevant departments to provide modern rescue equipment, underwater search technology, professional divers and specialized rescue teams to strengthen the operation.
Officials said all relevant departments remain in close coordination and that every available resource is being used to continue the search.
The operation is expected to continue over the coming days, with particular focus on the Tarbela Dam reservoir, as authorities pursue one of the district’s most challenging river rescue missions in recent years.
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