At least 14 dead after bus plunges into Indus river in northern Pakistan

The driver mislaid power astatine precocious speed, veering disconnected a span into nan icy Indus stream successful bluish Pakistan, according to section reports.

At slightest 14 group person been confirmed killed and galore much missing and presumed dormant aft a autobus collapsed into nan Indus stream successful bluish Pakistan, according to section authorities.

The driver mislaid power of nan conveyance erstwhile travelling astatine precocious speed, according to a connection from authorities successful nan Gilgit Baltistan region, wherever nan mishap occurred connected Tuesday.

The autobus was carrying astir 2 twelve people, members of a wedding procession, according to section media. The number of fatalities has not been confirmed, pinch immoderate reports placing nan fig arsenic precocious arsenic 26.

Rescue crews person already recovered 13 bodies from nan river, while 12 passengers stay missing and are presumed to person not survived nan mishap owed to freezing temperatures successful nan area, according to nan Pakistani news outlet Dawn.

The bride survived nan mishap and was taken to hospital, but later succumbed to her injuries, Dawn reports.

The autobus was heading towards Chakwal, a metropolis successful Pakistan’s Punjab province, erstwhile it careened disconnected nan roadworthy and into nan stream from Telchi span successful nan Diamer territory astatine astir 1pm section clip (08:00 GMT), according to section broadcaster Geo.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his “deep condolences complete nan nonaccomplishment of precious lives successful nan accident” successful a station connected societal media level X.

He besides emphasised nan “need to velocity up” hunt and rescue operations for those yet to beryllium found.

Fatal roadworthy accidents are communal successful Pakistan, pinch 9,000 incidents reported connected nan country’s roads connected mean each year, resulting successful much than 5,000 deaths, according to nan Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

Twenty-nine passengers were killed connected August 25 erstwhile a conveyance fell into a valley adjacent Rawlakot, a metropolis successful Pakistan-administered Kashmir successful nan country’s north.

The aforesaid day, successful southwest Pakistan’s Lasbella territory successful Balochistan province, 11 group were killed erstwhile a autobus besides fell into a ravine.

In this image taken connected June 9, 2022, locals and visitors thrust done a impermanent span aft nan main span was swept distant by a reservoir outburst because of a pouring glacier, successful Hassanabad colony of Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region [File: Abdul Majeed/AFP]

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Al Jazeera and news agencies