Karachi: The Arabian Sea beach tragedy continued to haunt this mega city on the fourth day of Eid as the Pakistan Navy recovered 11 more bodies from the sea taking the death toll to 35.

Search and rescue teams were still looking for bodies as relatives complained that loved ones who were picnicking at the famous Sea View beach were still missing.

Dozens of people were feared drowned in the past four days as they came to picnic at the beach from the first day of Eid Al Fitr.

Thousands of people were drawn to the beach, which is currently experiencing rough, high tidal waves during the height of the monsoon season.

On the second day of Eid, 10 drownings were reported but as the numbers started rising, the tragedy only deepened.

Pakistan Navy Spokesman Lieutenant Commander S. M. Kamran told Gulf News that helicopters and boats were carrying out a search operation and helping the civil administration.

Naval teams were cruising as deep as 15 nautical miles into the Arabian Sea to look for bodies. Some big Navy boats were going deeper into the sea, he said.

Relatives were seen running after the chopper as it would fly back to the shore with a hanging navy diver holding a body.

The bodies were not easily recognisable and were already decomposing, a relief worker who was transporting the bodies to the mortuary said.

Authorities were unsure if the death toll would rise as the search continues.

“We cannot say if there [are any more bodies in] the sea or not but we would continue the search operation on humanitarian grounds,” Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui said.

The local media criticised the city administration and the government for not taking protective measures at the beach. The commissioner, however, defending the administration position, said that the section 144 was imposed on the beach to avoid clustering of people. But it was not possible for the police to stop people eager to spend time on the beach.

A Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) delegation visited the beach to console relatives of the victims and demanded the creation of an official inquiry into the incident.

The provincial government of Sindh announced Rs200,000 (Dh7,437) compensation for the relatives of the victims and an Eid reception was cancelled at the chief minister’s house as a gesture of sympathy.