Islamabad: Twenty three people were killed when a passenger bus veered off a mountain road and plunged Monday into a deep ravine in northern Pakistan, authorities said. The death toll may increase as there are many more bodies trapped with the bus as rescue operations continue.
The bus was on its way from Rawalpindi to Skardu when it fell into the ravine at Roundu near Gilgit, according to Faizullah Firaq, the spokesperson of the Gilgit Baltistan government.
Firaq said 65 passengers were onboard the vehicle when the accident occurred. He added that the cause of the mishap was not known.
At least 23 passengers died in the accident, Ghulam Murtaza, Assistant Commissioner of Roundu tehsil, said. Among the total number of deceased, three succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
Eight bodies have been recovered, Murtaza informed and added that that Pakistan Army helicopters are carrying out operations to retrieve the remaining bodies.
Gilgit Baltistan Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon expressed grief over the tragedy and instructed the authorities to speed up the rescue operations.
Road accidents are common in Pakistan. Most of them are caused due to reckless driving and bad roads.
In September, at least 27 people, including 10 Pakistan Army soldiers, were killed and more than 15 wounded when a passenger bus rammed into a mountain in Babusar Pass which connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with Gilgit Baltistan.
PTI
