Five bodies recovered after 18 members of same family swept away in Swat River

At least 18 members of the same family were swept away by a sudden surge of high water in the Swat River on Friday morning, prompting ongoing rescue efforts.

So far, three individuals have been rescued, and the bodies of five have been recovered. 

According to rescue officials, the affected family hailing from Sialkot was on a leisure trip, having breakfast by the riverbank when heavy rains upstream caused an unexpected and rapid increase in water flow. 

The tragic incident occurred around 8:00am, leaving guests unaware of the looming danger.

“We received information about the drowning of these people around 8pm. There were guests on the bypass who were sitting on the bank of the river. These people were not aware of the water relay,” a rescue official said.

Upon receiving the alert, a rescue operation was immediately launched.

While three individuals have been successfully pulled to safety and the bodies of five recovered, the search for the remaining missing family members continues amidst challenging conditions.

While speaking to Geo News, Deputy Commissioner Swat Shahzad Mehboob reiterated that Section 144, which prohibits bathing in and approaching the river, is in force.

He expressed concern that despite these restrictions, tourists continue to venture into dangerous areas.

A distraught tourist, who identified himself as a family member, recounted the harrowing ordeal, saying that 10 members of his immediate family were swept away, with the body of one woman found and the search for nine children still underway.

“We were having breakfast and drinking tea, and the children went to take a selfie near the river. At that time, there was not much water in the river,” he told Geo News.

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.