SIALKOT, Oct 6: Searchers failed to find any other body in the Chenab on Monday, fearing that the death toll of the Head Marala motorboat accident had risen to 19.

Reports reaching here said the searching teams remained busy in tracing the 11 bodies, but all in vain. They feared that all the missing people had died.

Meanwhile, eight members of the family, including five minor children, were laid to rest at the neighbouring Ghuenky village. Provincial Industries Minister Muhammad Ajmal Cheema and Provincial Labour and Human Resource Minister Syed Akhtar Husain Rizvi attended the funeral prayers. They announced Rs50,000 each for the family of the victims.

Social circles criticized the government for delaying the rescue operation by at least two hours. The district government banned boating near Head Marala immediately after the accident.

The local villagers announced that they would observe a mourning week.

Office-bearers of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry have expressed grave concern over the accident and offered fateha for the departed souls.

A Rangers motorboat, carrying 25 members of a family, capsized in the Chenab near Head Marala due to what is believed overloading, on Sunday night.

Six of the family were rescued and bodies of eight other fished out.