Negligence and Incompetence of Balochistan Fisheries Department: Fishermen Who Drowned Due to Dysfunctional System Still Missing; Unavailability of Divers and Lifeboats Raises Questions Over Rescue Operations

GADDANI / HUB (Daily Qudrat) – In a tragic incident of drowning at sea off the coast of Gaddani, six people drowned, and reports that three of them are still missing have not only left the affected families in deep anguish and anxiety but have also raised numerous questions about the performance of the departments responsible for patrolling, rescue, and handling emergencies in the coastal area. After the incident, local circles and citizens are demanding that the existing arrangements for protecting people’s lives at sea be reviewed immediately, and if negligence or shortcoming is found at any level, those responsible should be identified and action taken against them.

According to UNA, in the recent incident, six people drowned at sea off the coast of Gaddani, of whom three have been traced while three are still missing. The families of the missing persons are in deep distress and restlessness, and they are demanding that the search operation be accelerated further and the missing persons be traced using modern and effective rescue resources.

Sources said that the officials and relevant staff of the Fisheries Department are present in the maritime limits of Gaddani for patrolling, monitoring, rescue operations in emergencies, and searching for people who drown at sea. However, the recent incident has raised serious questions about the practical effectiveness of this system. Citizens’ circles say that if a proper patrolling and rescue system exists in any coastal area, then providing assistance to affected people in the shortest possible time in any emergency should be a fundamental responsibility. Still, the fact that three people remain missing in the recent Gaddani incident is a matter of concern.

According to sources, the performance of Assistant Director Fisheries Gaddani’s patrolling has also come under question. Sources claim that some officials of the relevant staff allegedly remain at home instead of regularly performing their duties in the field and are receiving salaries. However, these claims could not be independently verified. Citizens say that if these allegations are correct, it is an extremely serious matter that requires an impartial investigation so that facts can come to light and action can be taken against responsible officials in accordance with the law and regulations.

Sources further claimed that the unavailability of boat skippers and trained divers to deal with maritime emergencies in Gaddani is also becoming a major issue. In the event of a person drowning at sea, the first few minutes are considered extremely crucial. In such a situation, if trained divers, expert boat skippers, functional rescue boats, and necessary safety equipment are not available, the risk of rescue operations being affected increases.

According to local people, Gaddani, besides being an important coastal recreational and industrial area, is also a center of arrival and movement of a large number of local people and others. Due to the presence of citizens on the coast and various sea-related activities, an emergency situation can arise at any time, so the presence of effective patrolling, monitoring, and an immediate rescue system here is indispensable. Citizens’ circles say that merely deploying staff on the coast is not enough; it is also necessary to ensure that the relevant officials are regularly performing duty and that all necessary rescue equipment is available in usable condition at all times.

After the recent incident, a fundamental question is also arising: if the Fisheries Department has a system of monitoring and patrolling the maritime limits, why could immediate and effective assistance not be provided to the people who drowned at sea? Is the patrolling staff deployed in Gaddani regularly performing its duty? Do the relevant authorities have an effective system for monitoring staff attendance and field duty? Does the Fisheries Department have functional and immediately usable rescue boats, trained divers, and expert boat skippers? And if all these facilities exist, then why is the effective use of these resources not visible in the search and rescue operation, given that three people are still missing?

The affected families and local people have appealed to the authorities to use all available resources to search for the three missing persons and to continue the search operation until definitive information about the missing persons is obtained. They say that delay in such incidents further adds to the difficulties of the affected families, so the relevant departments must ensure immediate, coordinated, and effective action.

Public circles have demanded that the provincial government, the Fisheries Department, and other relevant agencies conduct an emergency review of the existing patrolling and rescue system on the Gaddani coast, ensure effective monitoring of staff attendance and performance, check the condition of rescue equipment and boats, and provide additional resources where necessary. Citizens made it clear that the protection of human lives is the first and foremost responsibility of any institution, and even minor negligence in coastal areas can cause a major tragedy.

Authorities have also been demanded to regularly inform the affected families and the public about the ongoing operation to search for the three missing persons so that a situation of rumors and uncertainty does not arise. At the same time, it should be ensured that a permanent and effective safety and rescue system is established on the Gaddani coast to prevent such incidents in the future.

Local circles have expressed hope that instead of treating the recent incident as merely an accident and ignoring it, coastal safety arrangements will be improved in light of the lessons learned from it, and the relevant departments will take practical steps to fulfill their responsibilities.