Girl dies, boy missing after Alipur canal incident

A five-year-old girl died and a six-year-old boy remained missing after both reportedly slipped into a canal while playing near the bank in Alipur. Rescue 1122 recovered the girl’s body near Matma Wali Bridge and continued searching for the boy.

MULTAN: A five-year-old girl died and a six-year-old boy remained missing after both children reportedly slipped into a canal while playing near its bank in Alipur, according to Rescue 1122.

Rescue officials said the incident involved five-year-old Hania and six-year-old Muhammad Irfan, both residents of Basti Panjnad. A report about the incident was lodged with the Bahawalpur Control Room of Rescue 1122, after which divers were dispatched to the site to begin a search operation.

According to Rescue 1122, the children had gone missing after falling into the canal. Initial information gathered by rescuers indicated that the two had slipped into the water while playing near the bank.

Search operation launched

Rescue 1122 said its divers started a search in the canal, which it described as more than 15 feet wide and 60 feet deep. The operation continued until the body of the girl was recovered.

Officials said Hania’s body was found around 20 kilometres away from the point where the children had reportedly fallen into the canal. The body was recovered near Matma Wali Bridge and later handed over to the heirs, Rescue 1122 said.

The search for Muhammad Irfan was still under way, with the boy remaining untraced at the time of the report.

Children identified as residents of Basti Panjnad

Rescue authorities identified the two children as residents of Basti Panjnad. The emergency service said it responded after receiving information through its Bahawalpur control room and sent divers to the canal to look for the missing children.

The rescuers were able to retrieve the girl’s body during the operation, but the boy could not be found. No further details were provided in the report beyond the initial account that the children had slipped into the canal while playing near the bank.

The incident adds to concerns surrounding the dangers posed by deep canals, particularly for children playing close to the water. In this case, Rescue 1122’s account said the canal where the incident occurred was both wide and deep, complicating the recovery effort.

Rescue officials said the body recovered near Matma Wali Bridge was handed over to the family, while efforts to trace the missing boy continued.