PESHAWAR: Seven people were killed on Wednesday when a tourist boat capsized at Saifullah Lake in Pakistan’s northwestern Kalam valley, an official said, as authorities search for other missing persons.
Rescue 1122 emergency service said in a report that it launched a rescue operation at the lake immediately after being alerted that the boat had capsized in the lake. It said six bodies had been retrieved from the lake and had been sent to the Kalam Hospital.
However, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Tourism and Culture Authority said seven people had died in the incident. It did not share any details about the circumstances of the incident.
“A boat capsized today at Saifullah Lake in Kalam, leaving seven people dead,” Saad bin Awais, media director at the KP Tourism Authority, said. “Search operations are underway to locate the remaining missing individuals.”
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi expressed grief at the incident and took notice of the boat accident, a statement from his office said.
“The chief minister has sought an immediate report from the relevant authorities and directed that action be taken against those responsible if any negligence or lapse is established,” the Chief Minister’s Office said.
The chief minister directed rescue authorities to continue the search and rescue operations to recover a missing girl, the statement added.
The alpine lake is located in Pakistan’s northwestern Kalam town in Swat Valley, one of the most popular tourist spots across the country. Thousands of foreign tourists each year visit Kalam to take in its towering mountains, meadows and forests.
