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Eleven Iranian Schoolgirls
Drown After Boat Capsizes In Tehran Lake
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Khatami ordered meticulous investigation to determine causes and responsibilities
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TEHRAN, May 4 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Eleven Iranian schoolgirls, all aged around 10, drowned Saturday morning when the small boat they were in capsized in the lake of a Tehran park, Iranian radio reported.
A young man, who jumped into the lake and managed to save three of the girls, also drowned as he attempted to save others, witnesses said.
The girls were among a group of around 60 schoolgirls aboard two small boats, spending a day out in Tehran's southern Park-e-shahr (municipal park), the Iranian capital's oldest park.
One of the boats, with about 30 girls on board, suddenly overturned, the radio said. In addition to the fatalities, seven girls were injured and taken to hospital.
The identity of the young man who tried to save them was not revealed. Rescue teams on the scene were emptying the lake to look for more victims, witnesses said.
A park official said the original purpose of the girls' outing was to visit Tehran's history museum, but since it was closed, the group of 60 decided to spend the day in the park.
The official, who asked not to be named, added that he had "warned the people in charge of the group not to let the girls climb into the boats."
In a message of condolence to the victims, Iranian President Khatami said he was "deeply shocked by this tragedy, adding that he had ordered a "meticulous investigation to determine the causes and the responsibilities."
He ordered Interior Minister Abdolvahed Moussavi Lari to form the committee to look into the cause of the accident, reported Iranian News Agency IRNA.
"It is required that a committee be formed to probe the cause of the accident and if any blame involves the related authorities, it must be firmly dealt with," Khatami said.
Rescue operations have been announced over, but frogmen are still scouring the pool to ensure no rescuer had lost their lives.
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