14 Dead, Including Newlyweds, After Wedding Party Bus Falls Into River
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11/13/2024 07:04 PM
Authorities in Pakistan said the bus was en route to Punjab's Chakwal district when it fell into the Indus River from a bridge
AFP via Getty
A bus carrying 25 passengers returning from a wedding plunged into a river late Tuesday in Gilgit-Baltistan, in northern Pakistan, officals told AFP on Nov. 12, 2024Authorities in Pakistan said a bus carrying members of a wedding party crashed into a river, killing approximately 14 people – including a newlywed couple – according to news reports.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in northern Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region, reported The Independent, Sky News, Reuters and Al Jazeera.
According to authorities, the bus was en route to Punjab's Chakwal district when it fell into the Indus River from the Telchi bridge, Pakistani broadcaster Geo reported.
About two dozen people aboard the bus were part of a wedding procession, according to Al Jazeera. Thirteen bodies were retrieved from the Indus River, and twelve people are still missing and presumed dead due to freezing temperatures.
The Independent also reported the injured bride was rescued from the river but later died at a hospital, while her newlywed husband is believed to have died.
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Speeding was involved in the crash and the bus operator lost control of the vehicle, Reuters reports, citing authorities.
A search was being conducted to locate those missing from the crash, according to Geo.
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Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his sympathies following the incident and called on rescuers to quickly locate the remaining missing persons, reported Sky News.
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PEOPLE contacted the government of Pakistan for additional information on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
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In August, two separate bus crashes claimed the lives of about 36 people and left dozens hurt, said Pakistani officials, the Associated Press reported.
In one incident, a bus containing Shiite Muslim pilgrims returning from Iraq fell into a ravine while traveling on a highway in southern Pakistan, killing approximately 12 people, according to the news agency.
In another incident, about 25 people died after a bus ended up in a ditch in Kahuta, said a rescue official, according to The New York Times.
