The death toll from the sinking of a boat carrying wedding guests earlier this week in Pakistan rose to more than 50 dead and missing on Wednesday, as local authorities gave up hope of finding other survivors.
The overloaded boat, which was carrying around 100 members of the same family, overturned on Monday while crossing the storm-swollen Indus River in Sadiqabad district, Punjab province.
women and children
The bodies of 26 people – mostly women and children – have been recovered, but as many are missing and presumed dead. “It has been more than 48 hours since the accident, so there is no chance of finding survivors,” said Kashif Nisar Gill, a spokesman for the district administration.
Most of the survivors are men who managed to swim to shore, Kashif Nisar Gill said. Women in Pakistan are not encouraged to learn to swim, as their behavior in public is still largely governed by conservative codes of modesty.