By Raffat Saeed

At least eight fishermen are still missing after two boats carrying 38 people capsized at midnight on Friday near Keti Bandar in Thatta.

Both boats Al Siddique and Al-Bahria left Karachi Fisheries coast on January 16, 2022. However, their boast capsized due to strong winds in the Hijamro Creek area near Keti Bandar in Thatta.

At least 22 fishermen from one boat reached a nearby island and are reported to be safe. They are on their way to Keti Bandar and will reach around 5pm today (Saturday).

However, eight of the 16 fishermen onboard Al Siddique are yet to be rescued. The other fishermen were rescued with the help of the Pakistan Marine and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency as well as Pakistan Coastguards.

The rescue operation for the remaining fishermen is being carried out under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Thatta.

The fishermen who were rescued earlier this morning are stable and have been given necessary medical aid.

On Friday, several people suffered injuries in separate incidents in Karachi after strong winds up to 35 nautical miles blew in the city.

The wind started blowing in the port city from Friday morning, causing roofs and walls of structures in multiple areas to collapse. A 50-year-old man lost his life after a wall collapsed due to the gusty winds.

Meanwhile, a five-year-old child was also injured. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said that due to a steep pressure gradient, strong winds from the west have started blowing with an average speed of 25-30kts and are likely to persist till Saturday.

This story was first published in Business Recorder on January 22, 2022