Pakistan bus ravine crash kills 40 on Quetta-Peshawar route
A Quetta-to-Peshawar bus plunged into a ravine in Dera Ismail Khan, killing 40 people and injuring eight. The tragedy has triggered an investigation, with authorities rushing medical aid and rescue support.
At least 40 people, including women and children, were killed after a bus travelling from Quetta to Peshawar fell into a ravine in northwest Pakistan on Friday, officials said. Eight others were injured in the crash.
Officials said the accident took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan district. Preliminary findings suggest the bus suffered brake failure, causing the driver to lose control while taking a difficult bend in the mountainous area. Authorities have started an investigation into the cause of the crash.
The bus had left Quetta in Balochistan for Peshawar when the accident happened after it reached Dera Ismail Khan district. Officials said the vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into the ravine.
"According to initial reports, 40 people have been killed and eight others injured in the accident," said Shahid Rind, aide for media and political affairs to Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. "District administrations from both provinces, rescue and other relevant departments are providing assistance to the affected persons," he said.
According to the 1122 rescue team, there were 48 people on board when the incident happened. Dawn reported that 36 people were on the bus when it left Quetta, and the others boarded it along the way. Sherani Deputy Commissioner Wali Khan Kakar said the process of identifying those killed and injured was under way.
President Asif Ali Zardari directed the relevant authorities "to ensure the provision of all possible and best medical facilities to the injured", his office said in a statement. It added, "The entire nation shares equally in the grief of the affected families in this tragic incident."
Road accidents are common and often fatal in the mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because of factors such as treacherous terrain, extreme weather, frequent traffic violations, poor road conditions, poor vehicle conditions and untrained drivers. The latest crash involved a Quetta-Peshawar bus that fell into a ravine in Dera Ismail Khan, killing 40 people and injuring eight, while rescue work, identification of victims and the investigation continue.
With PTI Inputs