Difficult mountainous terrain has complicated relief efforts, but operations remain ongoing
At least 30 people died when a 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 coach traveling from Quetta to Peshawar plunged into a deep ravine in the Danasar area on the Sherani-Zhob highway near the Balochistan-Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) border on Friday.
According to the Medical Emergency Response Center (MERC), 40 bodies were found at the accident site, while eight injured passengers were transferred to the Zhob trauma center. 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 spokesperson 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. KP rescue personnel also joined the operation. The difficult mountainous terrain hampered rescue efforts, but all injured passengers and the bodies of those killed were eventually recovered from the ravine and transferred to nearby hospitals.
The spokesperson said the bodies of 40 people killed in the accident were initially taken to a nearby rural health center (RHC) before being shifted to DHQ Hospital in Zhob by joint teams from Rescue 1122 Frontier Region Darazinda and Zhob Emergency Services.
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Faizi said Rescue 1122 personnel were working in coordination with Balochistan emergency services 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 Managing Director Shah Fahad, if any of the victims are identified as KP residents, Rescue 1122 will transport their bodies to their native areas in its ambulances with utmost respect.
Sherani Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar said the injured were being given immediate medical attention, while arrangements were being made to transport the bodies of the deceased to their native places. Hospitals in Sherani and Dera Ismail Khan were placed in a state of emergency following the accident.
The authorities indicated that an investigation had been opened to determine the causes of the accident.
One of the injured passengers claimed that the coach was 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 the passengers and the driver.
The passenger said the coach crashed shortly afterward. He added that when he regained consciousness, he saw injured passengers and bodies scattered at the scene, noting that many women and children were on board.
Meanwhile, Advisor to Balochistan Chief Minister Shahid Rind said that Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti had ordered a formal inquiry into the accident. The Secretary of Transport was tasked with carrying out a thorough investigation and a detailed report on the causes and circumstances of the accident was 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 discovered during the investigation would not be tolerated. Those responsible would be identified in accordance with the law and the facts.
He said the government would provide all possible assistance to 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 sadness and grief over the loss of precious lives in the bus accident.
Offering condolences to the bereaved families, they prayed that the ranks of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident would rise. They ordered authorities to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti also expressed deep sadness over the loss of lives and directed the relevant authorities to speed up rescue operations and ensure that the injured receive the best possible medical treatment. He also conveyed his condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also expressed grief and directed Rescue 1122, district administration and all relevant authorities to continue rescue operations without delay, emphasizing that no negligence or delay in rescue efforts would be tolerated.
He asked officials to ensure that the injured received the best possible medical treatment and directed all concerned 1122 rescue teams to remain in close coordination and cooperation with emergency services in Balochistan.
The chief minister also ordered immediate identification of the victims belonging to KP and asked the authorities to establish contact with their families without delay. He further ordered that the bodies of the people from KP who lost their lives in the accident be taken to their hometowns with full dignity and respect.
Afridi asked the relevant authorities to provide all possible assistance and facilities to the affected families.
Expressing deep sadness over the loss of precious lives, the Chief Minister condoled with the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the accident.
