RAWALPINDI: At least 21 people lost their lives when a passenger van plunged into Indus River in Gilgit-Baltistan, on Monday.
The deaths were confirmed by the spokesperson for the GB government Faizullah Firaq, in a statement issued after the incident.
He said 25 passengers were on-board the van travelling from Rawalpindi to Skardu when it fell into the Indus River in Rondu district.
So far nine bodies have been retrieved, while the rescue operation is underway in the area, said Mr.Faizullah. The contingent of Pakistan Army is also taking part in the relief and the rescue operation.
Meanwhile, the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan has expressed grief over the dreadful road accident.
He has directed the concerned authorities to extend every possible help in the rescue operations and provision of best medical facilities to the injured. The cause of the crash could not be ascertained according to the initial reports.
In a separate road crash of same in nature, on December 39, last year, a bus full of passengers plunged into an open waterway near the Yamuna bridge. The passengers were traveling from Gujrat to Sialkot.
The bodies of the passengers were recovered from the debris and were shifted to nearby medical facility. – NNI
21 die as van plunges into Indus River in Gilgit-Baltistan: Firaq
