The deceased persons were identified as Sher Zaman, Qatlan, and driver Aqal. The van was travelling to Matta from the mountainous track. The bus fell into a ditch in the Dardayal area of Swat.

Pakistan holds one of the world’s worst records for traffic accidents. The local authorities attribute such fatalities each year to poorly maintained highways and vehicles, as well as reckless driving. A World Health Organization report in December 2018 cited more than 27,000 deaths annually in road accidents in Pakistan.

In January this year, 40 people were killed when a bus fell into a deep ditch in Quetta, Balochistan.