By Aamir Latif
KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) All 25 passengers were killed after a van plunged into the Indus River in northern Pakistan on Monday morning, an official said.
The vehicle fell into the river in Skardu district, a famous tourist destination which borders China.
Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the government of Gilgit-Baltistan region where Skardu is located, had earlier confirmed 21 deaths adding that four persons were injured in the accident.
“The four wounded succumbed to their injuries on the way to the hospital,” Faraq told Anadolu Agency.
A rescue operation backed by army helicopters was underway to pull out the bodies, he said.
The van was travelling from Rawalpindi to Skardu when the accident took place.
Ghulam Murtaza, an assistant district commissioner, told reporters that the accident appeared to be the result of overspeed, a common cause of several similar incidents in the mountainous region.
Local broadcaster G News reported that 12 bodies have been recovered by rescuers.
Murtaza said an emergency was declared at the district hospitals.
In September of last year, 26 people died and at least 20 others suffered injuries when a Rawalpindi-bound bus from Skardu hit a small hill near Babusar Pass in Diamer district.
Additional report by The Muslim News
[Map of Pakistan from the CIA factbook/Public Domain]
