Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, June 8: At least 22 people were killed and several more were injured on Wednesday after a van carrying them plummeted hundreds of feet into a ravine in Pakistan’s hilly Balochistan region.
When the driver reportedly failed to negotiate a hairpin bend in the mountainous district of Akhtarzai near Killa Saifullah, which is at an elevation of 1,572 metres, the vehicle crashed into the ravine.
According to the Dawn newspaper, the accident killed 22 persons and injured one kid. The passenger bus was travelling to Zhob town from Loralia.
“The vehicle fell from a hilltop near Akhtarzai. We have so far recovered 10 bodies as rescue operations are difficult due to the deep ravine in the mountains,” said Deputy Commissioner of the Zhob district, Hafiz Muhammad Qasim.
Nearby hospitals have been notified, and teams from Quetta have been dispatched to assist in the rescue operation.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed his sorrow over the disaster and encouraged authorities to provide proper medical care for the victims, as well as to take action to prevent future mishaps.
Due to the tough and hilly terrain, hundreds of people die every year in traffic accidents in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province.
