Overcrowded bus plunges into ravine in southwest Pakistan, killing 40 passengers and injuring 8

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — A speeding, overcrowded passenger bus plunged from a highway into a rocky ravine in southwestern Pakistan early Friday, killing 40 people and injuring eight others in one of the deadliest road accidents in recent years, officials said.

The bus went out of control and fell into the ravine in Dana Sar, a remote area near the border of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the Balochistan government, said.

He said the bus was carrying not only its own passengers but also passengers from another bus that had broken down, leaving the vehicle overcrowded. Rind said rescuers were working to identify those killed in the crash.

One of the injured survivors told local media from his hospital bed that some passengers protested after the driver stopped to pick up people from another bus that had broken down and was also headed to Peshawar. He said an argument followed, during which one passenger allegedly grabbed the driver by the neck. Moments later, the driver lost control of the bus, which plunged into the ravine.

The account could not be independently verified and police said they are still investigating.

A regional government administrator, Hazrat Wali Kakar, said rescuers transported the injured and dead to nearby hospitals.

Rescue officials said the bus was carrying 48 passengers when it crashed.

Eight injured passengers received initial medical treatment at the scene before being taken to the district headquarters hospital in Zhob, while the bodies of the 40 victims were transported to a district hospital, officials said.

Shah Fahad, the director general of Rescue emergency services in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said that his agency was working alongside Balochistan’s emergency services in the rescue and recovery operation. He said that if any of the victims are confirmed to be residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, authorities will transport their bodies by ambulance to their hometowns to assist their families.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the passenger bus crash, offered condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

He directed the relevant authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical care.

In a statement, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also expressed grief over the loss of life and ordered authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical treatment.

Road accidents are common in Pakistan because of poor road conditions, inadequate enforcement of traffic laws and unsafe driving practices, particularly in mountainous areas.

In May, a minibus rammed into a bus parked along a motorway in northwest Pakistan, killing 17 people and injuring five others.

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Associated Press writers Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar contributed to this story from Peshawar, Pakistan.

Abdul Sattar, The Associated Press