When a tourist coaster off the Karakoram Highway near the Thalichi area of the Diamer district in Gilgit-Baltistan crashed into a ravine on Sunday, at least seven persons were killed and nine others were injured.
Sadly, the tragedy claimed the lives of one man, one child, and five women, and left the rest of the passengers with various degrees of injury.
The coaster, which was carrying 31 visitors, was last seen leaving Rawalpindi and making its way to Gilgit.
Rescue efforts were quickly initiated by the Diamer district administration, Rescue 1122, and other groups following the tragedy.
Locals helped in the rescue operations as well.
The injured were reportedly swiftly sent to Gilgit for emergency medical care, as reported by the Jaglot assistant commissioner.
Help came from the health department and the 1122 ambulance service.
Diamer and Gilgit hospitals both implemented emergency procedures as a result of the tragedy.
The officials have been in touch with the relatives of the victims to coordinate the removal of the bodies.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif responded to the awful news by expressing his sympathies to the families of the victims.
He expressed his condolences and ordered the appropriate G-B authorities to act promptly to give aid and ensure an effective rescue operation.
In addition to giving medical aid to the injured passengers, the prime minister has ordered federal government departments to provide their support to the rescue and relief operation.
While hoping for a rapid recovery for those hurt, Prime Minister Shehbaz called for an exhaustive probe into the incident’s cause.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, foreign minister of Pakistan, too voiced his sorrow for the victims of the attack.
He hoped for a speedy recovery for the injured and offered condolences to the families of the passengers who had died.
PPP chairman Bilawal stressed the importance of developing a plan to avoid similar incidents in the future.
In two separate traffic accidents earlier this month in G-B’s Hunza, five visitors were killed and 13 were injured. One van fell into a gorge, and the second van smashed into a mountain.
A car travelling from Upper Dir to Chitral crashed into a ravine in June, killing eight persons and injuring 17.
A coaster bus crashed into a ravine in Azad Jammu and Kashmir last month, killing at least 10 people and injuring 13.
