Tragedy strikes as 12 of family drown at Karachi's Hawkesbay beach

KARACHI: Twelve people, including two women, of a family drowned at Hawkesbay Beach in Karachi late Saturday afternoon, Geo News reported. 

Two people, who were saved by rescue teams, were reported dead a few hours after they were admitted to civil hospital, according to Chief Fire Officer Tehseen Siddiqui. 

Sources said the deceased belong to the same family and were residents of Shadman Town in North Nazimabad. 

The deceased have been identified as Muhammad Sami, Faiza, Ali, Misbah, Atif, Saud, Ameer, Hamza, Waqar and Wahaj.

The family had come to the beach for a picnic and was staying at Hut 99, which belongs to a private company.

A worker of the Edhi rescue team informed that lifeguards were also present at the site however the family members dismissed those claims. 

SP Keamari informed Geo News that the family was warned four times to not go too deep into the water but the family members continued to defy orders.

Following the incident, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah took notice and summoned a report over the matter. 

He chided the responsible authorities over their lack of action and asked: “Has section 144 been imposed already?”

He also inquired if the signboards regarding the restriction from swimming were even placed at the site. He directed the home secretary to submit a detailed report regarding the incident. 

Funerals prayers/burial

The bodies of the deceased were handed over to their families by the Edhi morgue officials. 

The funeral prayers for eleven of the deceased were held after Zuhr prayers in North Karachi’s Bab-ul-Islam mosque. The deceased were laid to rest in Shah Muhammad graveyard. 

The burial of the 12th victim will take place in Paposh after Asr prayers. 

Speaking to the media before the funeral, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar complained that despite warnings, picnickers do not heed the authorities' advice to restrain from swimming in the sea. 

He said the city government is responsible for maintaining a 27km stretch of the beach for which they have deployed 46 lifeguards. 

Speaking to Geo News earlier, a friend of the deceased family, said 34 people had gone for a picnic at 10am on Saturday. Bashir Khan claimed that huge waves crashed into them as they sat on the shore, with the receding waves sweeping away the picnickers one by one. 

"No lifeguard, police officer was present when the tragedy struck," said Khan. 

Political leaders also visited the homes of the deceased after the incident to express their condolences. Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, during his visit to the deceased's home, said this tragedy has paved way to numerous questions about the government. 

"The absence of rescue teams and lifeguards has resulted in many tragedies before as well," said Rehman. 

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Haleem Adil Sheikh offered condolences to the bereaved family during his visit to their home. 

"Death by electrocution and drowning are becoming commonplace," lamented Sheikh. He criticised the government for 'taking notice' of things and not adopting substantial measures to improve the situation on ground. 

Meanwhile, in a statement, the Pakistan Coast Guards said it is the job of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to manage lifeguards at the beaches. 

It said the coast guard only maintains a check post on Hawkesbay road to ensure no one takes weapons or drugs to the beach. 

On August 26, the son of Saudi vice-council general, along with two other Saudi nationals, drowned near Neelam point at Hawkesbay Beach, police sources informed Geo News.

Bodies of all three men — Aalaa Al Autibi, Fahad Aloseami and Abdullah Al Ausebi — were retrieved and shifted to a private hospital in Clifton, City SSP Adeel Hussain Chandio said.

Beachgoers are advised against bathing in the sea during the monsoon season due to rough waters by the authorities.