DADU: Three more bodies were recovered from the River Indus on Thursday, four days after an overcrowded boat capsized near Sadiqabad, taking the death toll from the tragedy to 33.

The bodies of three women floated to the surface during efforts to find the 17 passengers still said to be missing. Earlier, two women’s bodies were found near Guddu late on Wednesday night. However, officials have said that the chances of recovering any more people — alive or dead — were very slim.

“It has been more than 56 hours since the incident, and there’s no chance of finding any more survivors,” district administration spokesperson Kashif Nisar Gill told journalists.

He added that around 35 divers were taking part in the operation, while locals were assisting rescue teams.

Solangi clan chieftain Sardar Abbas Khan Solangi alleged that even after four days, the governments of Punjab and Sindh were reluctant to provide relief to the victims and their families.

He added that that no lawmakers from either province had visited the victims’ families, nor was any compensation anno­unced for them.

On Monday, a boat carrying around 100 passengers capsized in the storm-swollen River Indus. The passengers on board belonged to Solangi tribe who were on their way from Mochka to a family wedding across the river in Sardarpur, in Union Council Kahror wali in Sadiqabad’s Rojhan Tehsil.

The victims hailed from Hussain Baksh Solangi village of Deh Dhand of Obaro in Ghotki district.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2022