Five die, four missing as van rolls down into Kahuta river

Five people died, and four were missing when their Toyota Hiace van fell into River Jhelum in Kahuta area of Rawalpindi, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

According to details, the van, carrying 14 passengers, was coming from Hajera in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and plunged into the river while navigating a sharp turn near Garari Bridge in the Kahuta area of Rawalpindi on Thursday.

According to Rescue 1122, five people have been confirmed dead while five others including the driver were rescued.

Navy divers have arrived at the accident site and joined the operation to locate the missing passengers.

Three of the deceased were identified as Khawaja Naeem, 45, an assistant professor at a government inter college in Hajira; his mother, Fatima Begum, 67; and Adeel Arif, 22.

The fourth victim was later identified as Shaukat Khan, a resident of Buner in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who was earning his livelihood in Hajira.

His body was shifted to CMH Rawalakot, where it would be handed over to his family upon their arrival, said Sudhnoti Deputy Commissioner Mumtaz Hussain Kazmi.

The identity of the fifth victim was yet to be ascertained.

District Emergency Officer 1122 Rawalpindi Sighbatullah said that five people have been rescued so far and were rushed to the Kahuta Tehsil Hospital in Rawalpindi.

Sudhnoti Deputy Commissioner Mumtaz Hussain Kazmi also confirmed that among the five survivors, Basit — the driver’s helper — later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Rawalpindi.

Superintendent THQ hospital, Dr Samina, also confirmed that the rescued persons had been shifted to the medical facility.

The Rescue 1122 official said the van had been pulled out of the water, and a search for the other passengers was underway.

Earlier, Commissioner Rawalpindi Engineer Amir Khattak directed all relevant authorities, including health, Rescue 1122, traffic police and tehsil administration to launch a coordinated operation for the missing passengers.

The rescue operation continued till dusk, but had to stop as low-light conditions did not allow divers to search for the missing.

Rescue officials said the search will resume at first light on Friday, but expressed fear that the river’s current may have carried away the missing passengers.

Sudhnoti Deputy Commissioner Mumtaz Hussain Kazmi said that at least four more persons were believed to be missing, as their relatives had contacted AJK authorities. They were identified as Umar Hayat, 32; Amir Liaqat, 15; Adnan Sohail, 35; and Saghir Sadiq — all residents of Poonch division.

Reporter Syed Masood Gardezi