Four tourists from Gujrat went missing on May 16 while traveling between Gilgit and Skardu. After days of intense search, their vehicle was found at the bank of the Indus River near Istak village in Roundu valley, Skardu. Rescue teams discovered the white car had fallen into a deep gorge approximately 500 feet below the Baltistan Highway. All four tourists were found dead at the scene.
The victims, Wasif Shahzad (36) and Umar Ehsan (20), cousins from Kot Gakka near Mungowal, along with Salman Nasrullah Sandhu (23) from Jassoki village and Usman Dar (23) from Saroki, had arrived in Gilgit on May 13. They began their journey from Hunza to Skardu on May 15 and stayed overnight at a hotel in Danyor, Gilgit. The next day, May 16, they resumed their trip but lost all contact after their last known location at Jaglot, Gilgit.
The search operation was carried out jointly by Gilgit-Baltistan police and Rescue 1122 teams. They combed the route from Jaglot to Istak, collecting information from local residents, hotel owners, and police checkpoints. The terrain is very challenging, with roads running along the Indus River, where water levels are dangerously high this season, making the rescue efforts difficult.
Skardu Deputy Commissioner Arif Ahmad confirmed that the vehicle was found near Satak Nala, a spot known for accidents. Rescue teams faced steep and rocky terrain while attempting to reach the site. The vehicle reportedly crashed due to high speed, plunging into the gorge below. One body was visible outside the vehicle, and three others were inside. Rescue workers used ropes and cranes to retrieve the bodies safely.
The families of the deceased were brought to the accident site, deeply mourning their loss. Authorities had been alerted shortly after the tourists disappeared, and search teams had worked around the clock to find them. This tragic accident highlights the risks of traveling on the hazardous Baltistan road, where similar incidents have occurred in the past.