At least 41 die as bus falls into ravine in Lasbela

LASBELA: At least 41 people died when a bus, on way to Karachi from Quetta, fell into a ravine and caught fire on Sunday.

The accident happened near Chinki stop in the Bela area of Lasbela District. Two survivors were reported to be fighting for their lives in a hospital. At least 48 people were on board the ill-fated bus.

According to local media reports, Bela Assistant Commissioner Hamza Anjum Nadeem said the rescue operation had been completed.

He said 40 unidentifiable bodies were taken out of the bus, adding that DNA tests will be conducted for the identification of the deceased. The injured passengers were shifted to Civil Hospital, Lasbela.

The police said the accident happened due to speeding as the bus went out of the driver’s control and careened into the ravine. They said teams of fire brigade, rescue services and law-enforcement agencies arrived at the site of the accident and launched a rescue operation.

Head of the local rescue service, Asghar Ramzan told an international wire service that the bus had been loaded with containers of oil.

“When the bus fell down, it immediately caught fire,” he said. The oil “caused the fire to flare up so much that it was difficult to control”, he added.

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their deep grief and sorrow over loss of lives in the tragic bus accident.

The president and prime minister expressed their condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the high ranks of the departed souls, President Secretariat and PM Office media wings said in separate press releases.

They also prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also expressed deep sadness on the deaths. KSA’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, offered the Kingdom’s sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of victims and the government and people of Pakistan on this sad incident.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of lives in the tragic accident.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo asked for an investigation report on the tragic accident in Bela.

Bizenjo directed the Commissioner Kalat to investigate the causes of the accident and submit a report within 24 hours.