According to a police official, 8 passengers were killed and 5 injured after driver lost control of vehicle. PHOTO: FILE

NEELUM VALLEY (LOC): Eight people were killed while five sustained injuries when a Jeep overturned and fell into River Neelum, in the Keel district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, on Thursday, Express News reported.

According to a police official, eight passengers were and five were injured after the driver lost control of the vehicle.

Police sources have stated that the vehicle was carrying 13 people, while a local claimed that 15 to 18 people were on board. The rescue operation was delayed as the police found out about the incident only after the news broke on TV.

According to Express News correspondent Asif Raza Mir, road accidents are very common in this area, due to the deteriorating conditions and the sheer number of passengers travelling by local transport. Jeeps that have the capacity to carry five to eight passengers often carry 20 to 30 people, leading to extremely vulnerable conditions on the narrow roads.