At least 18 wedding guests were killed and six injured when a Rawalpindi-bound bus fell into a ravine in Gilgit Baltistan’s Astore on Tuesday, rescue officials said.

Bodies of 12 individuals, including four women, have been recovered from the river. A young girl believed to be the bride, was found injured and has been transferred to a hospital. Efforts are under way to locate 10 missing persons.

Footage from the area showed locals and rescue officials on the boat and riverbed on the search and rescue missions. The bus was carrying 25 individuals, according to initial reports.

In response to the incident, healthcare personnel at the nearest hospital and the Civil Hospital in Gilgit’s Jaglot subdivision have been put on high alert.

Accidents are a common occurrence in GB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attributed to the challenging terrain, inadequate road conditions, overloaded vehicles, and limited traffic enforcement. The risk of accidents is heightened by narrow, winding roads, severe weather, and driver fatigue, making these regions particularly hazardous.

Earlier this month, eight people were killed and four injured when a van plunged into a ravine in KP’s district Buner. In September, three individuals, including two army personnel, were killed when a landslide struck a bus on the Karakoram Highway in Upper Kohistan’s Dasu.

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GB government spokesperson Faizullah Firaq confirmed to the media that a wedding party bus en route to Rawalpindi met with an accident near Thalaychi Bridge and fell into the river.

Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan expressed his sorrow and directed that rescue operations be expedited.

More to follow…