LAHORE: Rescue 1122 teams continued the search operation in Muzaffargarh Canal for the third consecutive day on Wednesday to locate the three children, who had gone missing after a loader-rickshaw carrying a wedding party plunged into the canal three days ago.

The rescuers have so far recovered 12 bodies from the canal in the three-day-long search operation.

The missing children include a three-year-old boy and two others aged between eight and ten years.

According to the Rescue 1122 and police officials, the wedding party, comprising 24 persons, including women and children, was returning on three loader-rickshaws from Lomarwala to Basti Arainwala in Kot Addu, when one of the three-wheelers plunged into the Muzaffargarh Canal near Sheikhoo Sugar Mills in Sanawan.

Nine of the persons, including women and children, were rescued by locals, immediately after the incident.

As per officials, the rescuers have expanded the search for the children over nearly 61km in the canal, using boats and scuba-divers. Rescue teams from Sanawan, Kot Addu and Muzaffargarh are participating in the ongoing operation, along with locals.

An incident command post has been established on the canal bank under the supervision of District Emergency Officer Dr Irshadul Haq.The canal is estimated to be 12 to 15 feet deep and 100 to 120 feet wide, with water flow ranging between 2,500 and 4,000 cusecs, according to the officials.

Earlier, a large number of people attended the funeral prayers of the 12 deceased persons at Basti Arainwala. The victims were later buried in the local graveyard.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2026