BAHAWALNAGAR: Rescue 1122 and the district administration claim that all 23 people, including three crew members, were rescued after a rescue boat capsized in Sutlej floodwaters near Mamoonka Basti, Mauza Lalika Hathar in Minchinabad tehsil on Thursday.

Earlier reports said two of the boat passengers, identified as Adnan and Khizr Joya, are missing.

A report issued by Rescue 1122 on Thursday evening says that during an evacuation operation at Mamoonka settlement, around 20 young men, aged 18-20 years, forcefully boarded a rescue boat and also loaded 400 litres of milk packed in plastic cans onto it.

The report claims that the youths quarreled with the boat crew when they tried to stop them, adding that the boat capsized just 15 to 20 meters away from the bank, due to overloading of passengers and the weight of 400 liters of milk. The depth of the floodwater at the spot was 5-8 feet. It added.

It said that with the help of the crew of another passing-by rescue boat, all the flood-hit people were safely rescued.

Sources say that the rescue boat being used for evacuation of the flood-hit people had capacity to carry only 15 persons, including the crew. However, there were 23 people onboard, including the crew, along with household goods of the flood-affected people, resulting in the capsizing incident.

An official of the Rescue 1122, requesting anonymity, told Dawn that despite the rescue personnel’s warnings, the flood-hit people kept boarding the boat resulting in overloading that caused the incident.

Neither District Officer (Emergency) Rao Sharafat, nor any other official, including Minchinabad Assistant commissioner (AC) Mr Ateequllah, responded to the calls and text messages of this correspondent sent for their version.

Bahawalnagar Deputy Commissioner Zulfiqar Ahmed confirmed to Dawn that a total of 23 people, including three crew members, were in the boat when it capsized at 11am.

He said that not only an excessive number of people, ignoring the crew’s warnings, forced their way into the boat, but about 20 maunds of milk packed in plastic cans was also loaded onto it,which caused the accident.

He said that the floodwater’s depth, at the point where the boat capsized, was no more than five feet, and all the 20 people, including the two “missing” youths, had been safely rescued.

According to the Rescue 1122 and revenue department sources, private rented boats are also being used for the evacuation of people from the 67 flood-affected mouzas of Minchinabad tehsil.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2025