PESHAWAR: At least 10 children were killed while eight others went missing after a boat capsized in a dam in the Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday, an official confirmed.
Some 25 students of a religious seminary were on a recreational visit at Tanda Lake in the province that borders neighbouring Afghanistan, Fazal Naeem, deputy commissioner of Kohat, told Anadolu Agency by phone.
Some 10 bodies have been fished out, while divers managed to rescue seven children alive, he said.
Six of the rescued children are still unconscious at a hospital, he added.
A search operation for remaining survivors or dead continued. Seven ambulances, four boats, two recovery vehicles, and over 40 personnel from Rescue 1122 have been deployed to assist in the search operation.
All the children were aged between 12 and 20 years.
Azam Khan, interim chief minister of the province, issued a statement expressing grief over the incident and directing the district administration and rescue organisations to take immediate action.
He has also instructed the commissioner and deputy commissioner of Kohat to personally supervise the rescue operations, emphasising the need to utilise all available resources to ensure the safe recovery of those affected by the incident.
Tanda dam, the site of the accident, is a famous recreational spot in Kohat, which attracts hundreds of visitors every day.
— With input from Anadolu Agency
