Wedding bus plunges into Indus river, 16 dead in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan tragedy
At least 16 people were killed and one woman injured on Tuesday when a bus carrying wedding guests plunged into the Indus River in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region, police said. The incident occurred in the Diamer district as the bus was traveling from Astore to Chakwal, Punjab.
Diamer SSP Sher Khan confirmed that 16 bodies had been recovered, with search operations ongoing. A woman, identified as the bride, was hospitalized with injuries. Rescue officials reported that 22 people drowned, while one was rescued.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shaukat Riaz explained that the bus fell from the Telchi Bridge into the river in the afternoon. The passengers, mostly from Astore, were part of a wedding procession heading to Chakwal. Nineteen passengers were from Astore, and four were from Chakwal.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his condolences to the victims' families.
Road accidents are common in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, where harsh weather, poor road conditions, overloaded vehicles, and driver fatigue increase the risk. In October, two people were killed and 36 others injured in a similar accident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Upper Kohistan area.
