Difficult mountainous terrain has complicated rescue efforts, but operations are still ongoing
At least 30 people died when a passenger bus traveling from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a deep ravine. PHOTO: EXPRESS
QUETTA:
At least 40 people were killed and eight others injured when a New Mekhtar passenger bus traveling from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a deep ravine in the Danasar area of the Sherani-Zhob highway, near the Balochistan-Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) border, on Friday.
According to the Medical Emergency Response Center (MERC), 40 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, while eight injured passengers have been shifted to the Trauma Center in Zhob. Six ambulances, 12 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and 10 light transport vehicle (LTV) drivers were deployed as part of the rescue operation.
In a statement, KP Rescue 1122 spokesman Bilal Ahmad Faizi said the bus was carrying 48 passengers when it crashed near Zhob. Faizi said eight injured passengers were given first aid on the spot before being shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Zhob.
According to rescue officials, teams from Sherani district administration, Rescue 1122, police, Frontier Corps (FC) and other relevant agencies rushed to the spot soon after the accident was reported. Rescue crews from KP also joined the action. The difficult mountainous terrain hampered rescue efforts, but all injured passengers and the bodies of those killed were eventually recovered from the ravine and moved to nearby hospitals.
The spokesman said the bodies of 40 people killed in the crash were initially taken to a nearby Rural Health Center (RHC) before being transferred to DHQ Hospital Zhob by joint teams of Rescue 1122 Frontier Region Darazinda and Emergency Services Zhob.
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Faizi said Rescue 1122 personnel are working in coordination with Emergency Services Balochistan and other relevant agencies to provide timely assistance to the injured and support the families of those killed.
He added that on the instructions of Rescue 1122 KP Director General Shah Fahad, if any of the victims are identified as residents of KP, Rescue 1122 will transport their bodies to their native areas in its ambulances with full respect.
Sherani Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar said that the injured were being provided immediate medical treatment while arrangements were being made to transport the bodies of the deceased to their hometowns. Hospitals in Sherani and Dera Ismail Khan were placed under emergency conditions after the accident.
Authorities said an investigation was launched to determine the cause of the accident.
One of the injured passengers claimed that the bus had been carrying diesel without the passengers being informed. He claimed that the diesel was unloaded at the last Frontier Corps checkpoint in Balochistan after an argument broke out between passengers and the driver.
The passenger said the bus crashed shortly after. He added that when he regained consciousness, he saw injured passengers and bodies scattered around the scene, noting that many women and children had been on board.
Separately, Balochistan Chief Minister’s Advisor Shahid Rind said Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti had ordered a formal inquiry into the accident. The Minister of Transport was tasked with carrying out a comprehensive investigation, and a detailed report on the causes and circumstances of the crash has been requested.
Rind said the government had decided to conduct a transparent and impartial investigation into all aspects of the incident, adding that any negligence or dereliction of duty uncovered during the investigation would not be tolerated. Those found responsible will be identified in accordance with the law and the facts.
He said the government would provide all possible assistance to the affected families and implement necessary safety reforms to help prevent similar tragedies and improve public transport safety in the future.
Condolences
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the bus accident.
Condoling the bereaved families, they prayed for an elevation of the ranks of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident. They directed the authorities to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti also expressed deep grief over the loss of life and directed the relevant authorities to expedite rescue operations and ensure that the injured received the best possible medical treatment. He also conveyed his condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also expressed grief and directed Rescue 1122, the district administration and all relevant authorities to continue relief operations without delay, stressing that no negligence or delay in rescue efforts would be tolerated.
He directed officials to ensure that the injured receive the best possible medical treatment and directed all relevant Rescue 1122 teams to remain in close coordination and cooperation with Balochistan Emergency Services.
The Chief Minister also ordered immediate identification of victims belonging to KP and directed the authorities to establish contact with their families without delay. He further directed that the bodies of those from KP who lost their lives in the accident be transported to their hometowns with full dignity and respect.
Afridi directed the relevant authorities to provide every possible help and facility to the affected families.
Expressing deep grief over the loss of precious lives, the Chief Minister expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for speedy recovery of those injured in the accident.
