A passenger bus plunged off a highway into a rocky ravine in southwestern Pakistan on Friday morning, killing 40 people and injuring at least eight others in one of the country’s deadliest road accidents this year.
The bus was travelling from Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when it lost control and fell approximately 70 to 80 feet, roughly 21 to 24 metres, into the Dhana Sar ravine, a remote mountainous area near the border of the two provinces. Sanaullah Sherani, head of Zhob district’s emergency centre, confirmed the death toll and said rescue teams faced significant difficulties reaching survivors due to the rugged terrain.
The bus was overcrowded at the time of the crash. Shahid Rind, spokesman for the Balochistan government, told the Associated Press the vehicle had taken on additional passengers from a second bus that had broken down on the route. Police official Mohamed Nasir said speeding was a likely cause, though an investigation has been launched.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed condolences to the families of the victims. Road accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor traffic enforcement, speeding and weak road safety standards.
