At least 32 dead after overcrowded bus plunges into ravine in Pakistan
At least 32 people were killed and 16 others injured after an overcrowded passenger bus plunged into a ravine in south-western Pakistan.
The bus was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, when it crashed in the Dana Sar mountain range, on the border between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, at about 08:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Friday.
A government official at Zhob Hospital told BBC News that a total of 48 people, including a number of women and children, had been on board when the accident happened.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, but preliminary reports suggest a steering fault may have led the driver to lose control before skidding off the mountain range.
Photographs from the scene showed the badly damaged bus following its plunge to the bottom of the ravine.
Officials confirmed the injured were taken to the District Headquarters hospital in Zhob, about 68km (42 miles) from the crash site.
"The bus fell approximately 70 to 80 feet [21-24m] into the ravine," Sanaullah Sherani, the head of Zhob district's emergency service, told AFP news agency.
Dozens of emergency responders and ambulances were deployed to the scene following the crash, but rescue and recovery efforts were hampered by the difficult terrain.
The bodies of those killed were also taken to the hospital and following identification, will be transported to their hometowns by ambulance.
Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for Balochistan's chief minister, said initial information showed the bus had been overcrowded after taking on additional passengers from another bus that had broken down.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their sorrow over the deaths.
In a post on X, Balochistan's Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said he was "deeply saddened" to hear of the accident, and ordered an inquiry into how it had happened.
"I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the swift recovery of the injured," he said, adding that immediate medical support was being provided to the injured.
Fatal accidents are common on Pakistan's roads - often caused by reckless driving, bad road surfaces and poorly maintained vehicles.
In 2024, at least 17 pilgrims were killed and 40 others injured after their bus fell into a ravine while travelling to Balochistan for Eid celebrations.
Read the full story at BBC ↗
A passenger bus crashed into a ravine in the Dana Sar mountain range in south-western Pakistan on Friday morning, resulting in at least 32 deaths and 16 injuries among the 48 people aboard. The bus was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar when the incident occurred at approximately 08:00 local time. The vehicle had become overcrowded after taking on additional passengers from another bus that had experienced a breakdown. Preliminary investigation points to a possible steering fault as a contributing factor. Rescue operations were hindered by challenging terrain; the bus fell 21-24 metres into the ravine. The injured were transported to District Headquarters hospital in Zhob, approximately 68 kilometres from the site. National leadership and provincial officials issued statements acknowledging the incident and ordering an investigation. Road fatalities remain a recurring issue in Pakistan, typically attributed to multiple factors including driving practices, road conditions, and vehicle maintenance standards.
Read the full story at BBC ↗
At least 32 people were killed and 16 others injured after an overcrowded passenger bus plunged into a ravine in south-western Pakistan.
The bus was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, when it crashed in the Dana Sar mountain range, on the border between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, at about 08:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Friday.
A government official at Zhob Hospital told BBC News that a total of 48 people, including a number of women and children, had been on board when the accident happened.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, but preliminary reports suggest a steering fault may have led the driver to lose control before skidding off the mountain range.
Photographs from the scene showed the badly damaged bus following its plunge to the bottom of the ravine.
Officials confirmed the injured were taken to the District Headquarters hospital in Zhob, about 68km (42 miles) from the crash site.
"The bus fell approximately 70 to 80 feet [21-24m] into the ravine," Sanaullah Sherani, the head of Zhob district's emergency service, told AFP news agency.
Dozens of emergency responders and ambulances were deployed to the scene following the crash, but rescue and recovery efforts were hampered by the difficult terrain.
The bodies of those killed were also taken to the hospital and following identification, will be transported to their hometowns by ambulance.
Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for Balochistan's chief minister, said initial information showed the bus had been overcrowded after taking on additional passengers from another bus that had broken down.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their sorrow over the deaths.
In a post on X, Balochistan's Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said he was "deeply saddened" to hear of the accident, and ordered an inquiry into how it had happened.
"I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the swift recovery of the injured," he said, adding that immediate medical support was being provided to the injured.
Fatal accidents are common on Pakistan's roads - often caused by reckless driving, bad road surfaces and poorly maintained vehicles.
In 2024, at least 17 pilgrims were killed and 40 others injured after their bus fell into a ravine while travelling to Balochistan for Eid celebrations.
Read the full story at BBC ↗
At least 32 people were killed and 16 injured after a passenger bus plunged into a ravine in the Dana Sar mountain range in south-western Pakistan The bus was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar when it crashed at approximately 08:00 local time on Friday in a border region between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces A total of 48 people, including women and children, were on board when the accident occurred The bus had become overcrowded after taking on additional passengers from another bus that had broken down Preliminary reports suggest a steering fault may have led the driver to lose control before the vehicle skidded off the mountain range The bus fell approximately 21-24 metres into the ravine Rescue and recovery efforts were hampered by difficult terrain The injured were taken to District Headquarters hospital in Zhob, approximately 68 kilometres from the crash site President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Balochistan's Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti issued statements regarding the accident An inquiry into the cause of the accident has been ordered Fatal accidents are common on Pakistan's roads, often caused by reckless driving, poor road surfaces, and poorly maintained vehicles
Read the full story at BBC ↗
- A passenger bus traveling from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a ravine in south-western Pakistan on Friday, killing at least 32 of 48 people on board and injuring 16 others
- The crash occurred in the Dana Sar mountain range on the Balochistan-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border; preliminary investigation suggests a possible steering fault
- The bus had been overcrowded after taking additional passengers from another vehicle that broke down; rescue efforts were complicated by difficult terrain
- Fatal road accidents remain common in Pakistan, often linked to reckless driving, poor road conditions, and inadequate vehicle maintenance