Pakistan: 41 killed after passenger coach falls into ravine in Balochistan, rescue ops on

At least 41 people were killed after a passenger coach fell into a ravine in Balochistan’s Lasbela on Sunday. Lasbela Assistant Commissioner Hamza Anjum Nadeem confirmed the death of 41 people and told Pakistani newspaper Dawn that the 48 passengers were on board. The passenger coach was coming from Quetta to Karachi. 

“Due to speeding, the coach crashed into the pillar of a bridge while taking a U-turn near Lasbela. The vehicle subsequently careened into a ravine and then caught fire,” Anjum told Dawn. He informed that at least four passengers, including a child and a woman, have been rescued alive by the Lasbela authorities. However, the Assistant commissioner said that the number of casualties in the tragic incident might increase. 

17 bodies have been recovered so far

Saad Edhi of Edhi Foundation told Dawn that around 17 bodies have been recovered from the southwestern province of Pakistan, where the incident took place. The Assistant Commissioner said the bodies were charred beyond recognition and are being shifted to Karachi for DNA sampling. After their identification, they will be handed over to the victims' relatives.

Meanwhile, the chief minister of Balochistan, Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, expressed his sorrow for the loss of life and directed concerned officials to provide the best medical facilities to the injured.