CCTV footage of the Rescue 1122 response during the Swat River tragedy has been obtained by Geo News, raising serious questions about the timeliness and preparedness of the rescue operation.
According to details, the first Rescue 1122 medical ambulance arrived 19 minutes after the victims were seen trapped in the river.
However, the responding team only included a medical unit and lacked any water rescue equipment.
Footage revealed no presence of boats, water vehicles, or related gear with the ambulance.
The trapped family was caught in the river’s surge at 9:47 AM, while the ambulance reportedly reached at 10:07 AM.
In response, Rescue 1122 officials stated that standard protocol ensures a medical ambulance is dispatched first, while the disaster response team and divers follow shortly after.
Meanwhile, relatives of the victims have alleged a delayed response, claiming that rescue units arrived nearly 90 minutes later.
دریائے سوات میں ریسکیو 1122 کے رسپانس سے متعلق CCTV ویڈیو منظر عام پر آگئی pic.twitter.com/oPJrIcf8MJ
— Geo News Urdu (@geonews_urdu) June 29, 2025
In light of the incident, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has suspended several officials, including the Deputy Commissioner of Swat, and formed an inquiry committee to investigate the response failures.
The tragedy unfolded on June 27, when a sudden surge in the Swat River led to 17 tourists being swept away. Four were rescued, 12 bodies have been recovered, and one person remains missing.
Eyewitnesses reported that the tourists had ventured into a dry riverbed after breakfast to take pictures, unaware of the looming danger.
In moments, the calm turned to chaos as they were encircled by a fierce torrent. Climbing onto a sandbar, they desperately called for help — but the river’s current proved overpowering.
Naya KPk !!