J&K: Body of guide found, 7 tourists rescued

Story by  IANS | Posted by  shaista fatima • 1 Years ago
A representational image
A representational image

 

Srinagar

Seven tourists were rescued on Thursday from a sinking houseboat in Jammu and Kashmir's Dal Lake by the owner of the houseboat.

A houseboat called 'Kolahoi' started sinking this morning after incessant rains in the Valley during the last four days. Reports said after the owner of the houseboat, Muhammad Yusuf, noticed that the houseboat was sinking, he and his family members quickly evacuated the seven tourists without caring for their own safety.

Yusuf told the media that he cared for the safety of his guests more than he did for his own family and that was the reason his first priority was evacuation of the tourists from the sinking houseboat.

The houseboat owners in Dal and Nigeen Lakes and those stationed on the Jhelum waters have been requesting the government for assistance to repair their properties which had been lying in disuse because of the lack of tourist traffic in the Valley for the past few years.

Meanwhile the body of a missing tourist guide was recovered on Thursday while a non-local tourist was still missing in the Tarsar lake incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.

Police sources said the body of guide Shakeel Ahmad was found in the Lidderwarth area of the district. The missing non-local tourist has been identified as Mahesh of Uttarakhand, police said. Shakeel belonged to the Gaganjeer village of north Kashmir Ganderbal district. At least 14 people, including 11 tourists and three guides, had gone missing on Tuesday in the Tarsar Lake area where the group had gone for trekking.