File photo of an earlier car crash near Islamabad, 2012. Aamir Qureshi—AFP
At least 16 people dead and seven others injured.
At least 16 people died and seven others were injured after a truck fell into a ravine in the Kalam area of Swat early on Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred around 3:00 a.m. “The truck was carrying nomads from Dera Ghazi Khan to Pashmal area of Kalam when it fell into the river,” said local administrator Mehmood Aslam. “So far at least 16 people have been confirmed dead and seven others are injured,” he added. The dead include 10 children, five women and one male adult. The truck was transporting around three families at the time of the crash. Aslam said police had not yet determined the reason behind the crash.
Rescue work has started and the injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital.
Pakistan has one of the world’s worst records for fatal traffic accidents due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving. Last month, people were killed and 49 injured when an overloaded truck crashed into a ravine in Punjab province.