17 Pakistani pilgrims killed, over 40 injured after truck plunged into ravine

At least 17 Muslim pilgrims have been confirmed killed with over 40 others injured after a bus carrying them to a religious site in southwest Pakistan, plunged into a ravine on Wednesday night.

Local media reports that the pilgrims were traveling to a revered shrine in Baluchistan on the first day of Eid al-Fitr celebrations when the bus driver lost control of the vehicle in the mountainous district of Las Bela, just 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) from its destination.

The District Deputy Commissioner, Munir Ahmed, who spoke to journalists on Thursday, said the bus was overspeeding when the accident occurred.

READ ALSO:Former Pakistan’s PM Khan faces blasphemy charges

“The bus was speeding and it went out of the driver’s control while negotiating a turn. The driver jumped out of the truck and remains safe,” Ahmed said.

The District Commissioner added that at least 15 people are in serious condition and have been transferred to a hospital in Karachi in the neighboring Sindh province.

A senior police official in the district, Sakro Wajid Ali, said the driver who was also injured, was taken into custody.

“They (pilgrims) were on their way to the Shah Noorani Sufi shrine in the city of Khuzdar, when the accident happened during Eid al-Fitr,” Ali said in a statement.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now