HARIPUR: An overloaded boat carrying passengers from the remote Baitgali union council was stuck in the marshy area of Tarbela lake here on Sunday, district administration officials and passengers told reporters.

All the passengers were, however, moved safely out of the boat and shifted to Haripur, rescue and police sources said. Khanzada Hayat Khan Advocate, a member of Ghazi tehsil council, said a passenger boat was on its way to Haripur from Darband in Mansehra district carrying 130 passengers, including women and children.

“When it reached near Chandani Chowk point in the Tarbela Lake some 30km from the Khalabat Township boat stop after picking some passengers from Bait Gali area at around 12 noon, it got stuck in the marshy land exposing the life of 130 passengers to harm.”

The boatman attempted to drive the boat out of the muddy area but failed and the passengers called their near ones in Haripur, who contacted the district administration.

Deputy commissioner Shauzab Abbas sent the Rescue 1122 teams and volunteers led by assistant commissioner Hamza Abbas to the area.

The rescue teams shifted all the passengers and their belongings to the Khalabat boat stop in Haripur by two boats safely.

The cause of the incident was low level of water due to ever-decreasing inflow in the Tarbela Lake.

Meanwhile, the district administration has initiated legal action against the boat pilot for overloading and exposing the life of 130 passengers to danger as the boat had the capacity of 70 passengers.

It may be added that it was the same point where over 40 passengers drowned when an overloaded boat capsized on July 3, 2019.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2025