A devastating bus accident on Sunday resulted into the loss of five lives and left 13 others injured when a tourist bus veered off the road and plunged into a ravine near the Thalichi area on the Karakoram Highway.
The incident occurred in Gilgit Baltistan’s Diamer district, according to local authorities.
The death toll and the number of injured individuals were confirmed by official sources who said that there were three women, a child and a man among the deceased. The ill-fated bus was en route from Lahore to Gilgit when the tragedy unfolded.
Prompt response and assistance from local residents played a vital role in the rescue efforts, the sources said, adding the injured were swiftly transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
It was reported that the bus was carrying a total of 18 passengers at the time of the accident.
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulber Khan expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and ordered that medical aid be provided free of charge to those injured.
In a statement issued by the Gilgit Commissioner, Najeeb Alam said attempts were being made to contact the families of the deceased to arrange the handover of bodies.
In two traffic accidents earlier this month, five tourists died and 13 were injured in GB’s Hunza when a van fell into a ravine and another crashed into a mountain.
