Passenger bus plunges 25m into ravine in Pakistan; 40 dead
Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- - A passenger bus fell 25 meters into a ravine in Pakistan, killing 40 people and injuring 8.
- The accident occurred on the Danasar highway near the border of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
- Initial reports suggest the crash resulted from an argument between the bus driver and passengers over picking up additional travelers from a broken-down bus.
A tragic accident in Pakistan has claimed the lives of 40 people after a passenger bus plunged 25 meters into a ravine. Eight others were injured in the crash, which occurred on the Danasar highway in the southwestern province of Balochistan, near the border with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rind stated that the bus was overloaded at the time of the incident, carrying its original passengers along with those from another bus that had broken down. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.
At the time of the accident, the bus was overloaded, carrying passengers from another broken-down bus in addition to its existing passengers.
However, one injured passenger recounted to local media that the incident began when the driver stopped to pick up passengers from the disabled bus. This action led to an argument with the existing passengers. The passenger further alleged that during the altercation, someone grabbed the driver's neck, causing the bus to veer off the road and fall into the valley.
Rescue operations at the site, a steep slope leading to the 25-meter-deep ravine, were described as difficult. The exact circumstances leading to the driver losing control of the vehicle remain unclear amidst the conflicting accounts.
The driver stopped to pick up passengers from another bus, and the existing passengers protested, leading to an argument. During that process, a passenger grabbed the driver's neck, and the bus fell into the valley.
Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.