QUETTA: At least 40 people were killed, and several others were injured after a passenger bus travelling from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a deep ravine near the Balochistan-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border on Friday, officials said.
The accident occurred shortly after the bus left the Dhana Sar area of Sherani district in Balochistan and crossed into the adjoining Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Sanaullah Sherani, head of Zhob district’s emergency centre, said 40 people had been confirmed dead while several passengers were injured.
A statement issued by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti’s office also confirmed the death toll, saying rescue operations were launched immediately on the chief minister’s instructions.
“District administrations from both provinces, rescue and other relevant departments are providing assistance to the affected persons,” the statement said, adding that the cause of the crash would be investigated.
Sherani Deputy Commissioner Wali Khan Kakar told local media that the bus had departed Quetta with 36 passengers, but additional travellers boarded after another bus broke down along the route.
Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 said 48 passengers were on board when the vehicle veered off the road and fell into the ravine.
Emergency responders from Zhob and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rushed to the scene.
The injured were taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Zhob, while the bodies were initially moved to a nearby rural health centre before being transferred to the same hospital.
Rescue operations were continuing at the scene, while authorities said an investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the crash.
