Toll mounts to 23 after boat carrying wedding guests capsizes in Indus River

• Boat carrying members of wedding guests capsizes in Indus River.
• 23 people reported dead so far, several missing.
• Overload caused boat to sink.
  

At least 23 people have died so far and 26 are missing after a boat carrying more than 100 guests heading to a wedding party capsized in the Indus River, officials said.

Nearly 90 people were rescued by divers, a government statement said, adding that the passengers were mostly women and children.

All those on board belonged to one clan, and they were on their way to a family wedding across the river, it said.

Nearly 35 divers from a state-run rescue service took part in an operation to find and save more people who were in the river, the statement added.

A search-and-rescue operation is underway to locate the missing. 

The police also confirmed that two boats carrying the wedding guests of around 150 people were moving from Rojhan to Machhka, and one of them overturned.

According to sources, Hussain Kala's wedding convoy, who belonged to the Solangi community, was travelling to Sardarpur from Machhka in Kharorwali's Rojhan tehsil. The Rescue 1122 divers and district administration officials reached the site and with the help of locals rescued several passengers and retrieved the bodies of others. 

So far, the bodies of 18-year-old Shabana, 22-year-old Hamidan and 14-year-old Allah Dani have been identified, while the rescued include Muhammad Akram, Muhammad Ramazan, Luqman, and Muhammad Amin.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has also expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives.

On his Twitter handle, the PM prayed for the departed souls and for the bereaved families.

— With additional input from Reuters.