At least 15 people, including women and children from a family, were killed after a three-wheeler carrying wedding guests plunged into a canal, reportedly due to overspeeding, in Pakistan’s Punjab province, authorities said on Wednesday.
The rickshaw was carrying 26 wedding guests when it fell into the canal on Tuesday in Kot Addu in Muzaffargarh district, about 350 km from Lahore.
Punjab Emergency Rescue 1122 said in a statement on Wednesday that three rickshaws were carrying a wedding procession from one village to another when one of them lost control, reportedly due to overspeeding, and fell into the Muzaffargarh Canal, PTI rrepored.
“A rescue operation was launched after three people swam through the canal and alerted Rescue 1122. Subsequently, the local community, along with rescue officials, rescued eight people on Tuesday and shifted them to a hospital,” it said.
Police said 12 bodies were recovered from the canal by Tuesday.
“On Wednesday, three more bodies were recovered, taking the toll to 15,” it said, adding that the bodies were found between five km and 20 km from the accident site.
The canal is said to be between 12 feet and 15 feet deep and 100 feet and 120 feet wide, with a water flow ranging from 2,500 to 4,000 cusecs.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grief over the deaths and conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families.
