A bus carrying wedding guests veered off a bridge and into the icy Indus River in northern Pakistan, leaving at least 14 confirmed dead and more feared lost, according to local officials.
The accident occurred on Tuesday in the Gilgit Baltistan region. Authorities reported that the driver lost control at high speed, causing the vehicle to crash off the Telchi bridge in Diamer district around 1 pm local time (08:00 GMT).
Rescue teams have so far recovered 13 bodies, while 12 passengers remain missing. Given the freezing river temperatures, authorities believe it’s unlikely the missing individuals survived, reported Dawn.
The bus, which was bound for Chakwal in Punjab province, was carrying about two dozen passengers, mostly members of a wedding party. The bride was initially rescued and transported to a hospital but later died from her injuries, according to reports.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the tragic incident on social media, urging for accelerated rescue efforts to locate those still missing.
Road accidents are a frequent occurrence in Pakistan, with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reporting an annual average of 9,000 incidents, resulting in over 5,000 fatalities. Just in August, two similar crashes claimed dozens of lives in northern and southwestern Pakistan.
