Srinagar: The search for three missing persons following a tragic incident in which a boat carrying students to school capsized in the River Jhelum in the Gandbal area of Srinagar continued on sixth day.
The incident which occurred on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of six persons including two twins and their mother. The boat, carrying 19 passengers and heading east from Gandabal towards Batwara in Srinagar, capsized around 8 am after hitting an iron pole in the middle of the river.
All the children onboard were students of Kendriya Vidyalaya in Sonwar, located across the river.
Rescue teams, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Marcos, have been searching the turbid waters of the River Jhelum.
Officials said that the rescue operation continued and despite efforts, the search teams have yet to find any trace of the missing individuals. The missing persons have been identified as Farhan Waseem Parray, 7, Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, 40, and his son Haziq Showkat, 9.
Their families, along with hundreds of concerned individuals, have been waiting anxiously along the banks of the River Jhelum for any news. Officials said that the search teams were focusing on specific areas where there was a higher probability of finding the bodies, considering the fast-flowing water currents.
They are also alerting all police stations along the river to be on the lookout for any floating bodies.
