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Bus Crash in Balochistan
A speeding, overcrowded passenger bus plunged from a highway into a rocky ravine in Dana Sar, a remote area near the border of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, killing 40 people and injuring eight others, officials said early Friday.
“killing 40 people and injuring eight others”
The Associated Press reported the bus went out of control and fell into the ravine in Dana Sar, and said the vehicle was carrying not only its own passengers but also those from another bus that had broken down, leaving it overcrowded.
The Media Line said the crash occurred in Dhana Sar, a border area between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Sherani district, and quoted rescue official Usman Sadozai saying the bus was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar when it veered off the road and fell into a ravine.
DW reported that the bus fell 70 to 80 feet (roughly 21 to 24 meters) off the ravine, and said rescue teams faced significant difficulties during the initial phase of the operation because the accident occurred in a rugged mountainous area.
Rescue Efforts and Dispute
Rescue operations were hampered by rugged mountainous terrain, with The Media Line saying access to the crash site was extremely difficult and that rescue teams were dispatched immediately from Sherani, Zhob, and Dera Ismail Khan after authorities received reports.
The Associated Press said emergency workers, backed by paramilitary forces, climbed down a steep mountainside to the ravine up to 25 meters (80 feet) deep, and later carried the injured on stretchers and recovered the dead in makeshift carts.
DW quoted Sanaullah Sherani, the head of the emergency center in Zhob district, saying "Forty people have been confirmed dead and 11 others injured," while Al Jazeera reported that both officials said 40 people were killed and at least eight others were injured.
Al Jazeera also quoted Sanaullah Sherani telling AFP that "The bus fell approximately 70 to 80 feet (21 to 24 metres) into the ravine," and described the speeding bus losing control early on Friday.
Condolences and Investigation
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the crash and offered condolences to the victims’ families, while DW said Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti ordered authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical treatment.
“An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the crash”
Al Jazeera reported that Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the Balochistan government, said the bus was overcrowded because it had stopped to pick up passengers from another bus that had broken down, leaving the vehicle overcrowded.
Police said they were investigating the exact cause of the crash, with DW stating an investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause and with AP describing that the account of a passenger grabbing the driver by the neck could not be independently verified.
The Media Line said a state of emergency was declared at hospitals in Sherani and Zhob to ensure immediate medical treatment for the injured, and it reported that district administrations, rescue agencies, and other relevant departments in both provinces were working to assist those affected and ensure the injured received immediate medical care.
