20 Killed After Boat Sinks in Afghanistan

At least 20 people, including children, lost their lives in a tragic boat accident in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Saturday.

The incident occurred when a boat carrying local residents sank in a river in the Basool area around 7 a.m., according to Quraishi Badlon, head of local communications.

Badlon reported via social media platform "X" that the boat was transporting 25 individuals, primarily women and children.

Out of these, only five have been confirmed as survivors. Rescue teams have so far recovered five bodies and continue to search for the remaining victims. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Local media sources indicate that residents frequently rely on boats to navigate the river, often under hazardous conditions due to the absence of a bridge.

This practice highlights the region's infrastructural challenges and the daily risks faced by the community.

The Nangarhar health department confirmed in a statement that the recovered bodies include a man, a woman, two boys, and a girl.

Medical teams and ambulances have been dispatched to the site to assist in the ongoing rescue and recovery operations.

Authorities have not yet provided specific details about the cause of the incident but noted that search efforts for additional bodies are still underway.

The local population commonly uses makeshift boats for transportation between villages and local markets, which can be perilous in such conditions.