- The truck was carrying nomadic families from Bahrain, Swat.
- Most of the deceased were children, the deputy commissioner said.
- Rescue teams transported the injured to hospital after the accident.
MALAKAND: At least 15 people were killed when a truck fell into a ravine on the Swat highway, rescue officials said on Thursday.
The vehicle was apparently carrying a group of nomads from Bahrain, Swat, when it left the road and plunged into the ravine. Emergency services said eight people were injured in the incident and were taken to hospital for medical treatment.
Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Fayaz said most of the deceased were children.
This tragic incident has once again highlighted road safety problems in the country, where accidents are common due to poor infrastructure, speed and overloading of vehicles.
Earlier this month, seven nomads, including six family members, were killed and six others injured when a speeding truck ran over laborers sleeping on the roadside near Kuddan Hotel, Shikarpur.
According to reports, the truck loaded with vegetables hit an electricity pole before spinning out of control and crashing into the nomads’ camp. The accident left seven people dead on the spot and six others injured.
Police said the tragedy was caused by the driver losing control of the vehicle, with initial investigations pointing to excessive speed as the cause.
This incident follows two separate accidents in Balochistan earlier the same week, which claimed the lives of at least 13 people, including women and children, and left many injured.
Local authorities reported that six people lost their lives and 17 others were seriously injured when a passenger coach rammed into an oncoming truck near Zero Point, Uthal, Lasbela.
In the other incident, seven people died and 16 were injured after a bus crashed in Hub-Winder.
Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules are rarely followed and roads in many rural areas are in poor condition.
