KARACHI: Two people drowned while swimming in the sea in the Clifton and Hawkesbay areas on Sunday.

Rescue-1122 official Hassaan Khan told Dawn that four friends had gone to a picnic at “China Port” near Clifton. They decided to take a dip but one of them swept away by a strong wave.

The official said that divers mounted a search and after the hectic efforts of five hours they managed to retrieve the body that was stuck in big stones on the seabed.

The victim was identified as Mairaj, 20. The body was handed over to his father, Riaz.

In another incident, 18-year-old Anas Fareed, who came to the Hawkesbay beach for picnic, drowned while swimming in the sea.

A search operation was launched but the body could not be found till late in the evening. Rescue workers and divers would resume their operation in the morning, the official said.

It may be recalled here that the city administration had already imposed a ban on swimming and bathing at all beaches across the city for one month in view of prevailing high tides and turbulent waves in the sea ahead of monsoon season.

Earlier on June 15, Karachi Commissioner Hasan Naqvi had clamped a two-month ban on swimming and bathing at two beaches — Kanupp Beach and Sunerah Beach — in view of the high tide season.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2024