Neelum Valley: 35 feared dead as bus plunges into river
Officials rule out the possibility of anyone surviving.
MUZAFFARABAD:
At least 35 people were killed when a passenger bus fell into a river in Neelum Valley on Friday, officials said.
The accident occurred near the Changian area in Neelum Valley,100km north of Muzaffarabad. District administration official Muhammad Zia of Aatmuqam – the district headquarters of Neelum Valley – told The Express Tribune that all 35 passengers of the bus, which was headed to Kel, were feared dead.
According to reports, the driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid hitting shepherds who were crossing the road.
An official told The Express Tribune that all passengers have drowned and no
bodies were recovered owing to the high water current of the river.“There is no hope that anyone has survived as there was no sign of any passenger in the river,” he said, adding that he feared there could have been more than 35 passengers on board. Local administration, military officials and locals
were combing the waters in search of bodies.
The conductor of the bus managed to escape as when the accident occurred he had been walking ahead of the bus helping the driver cross the herds. However, the lone survivor could not disclose details of the accident, as he was suffering from post-traumatic stress.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2011.
At least 35 people were killed when a passenger bus fell into a river in Neelum Valley on Friday, officials said.
The accident occurred near the Changian area in Neelum Valley,100km north of Muzaffarabad. District administration official Muhammad Zia of Aatmuqam – the district headquarters of Neelum Valley – told The Express Tribune that all 35 passengers of the bus, which was headed to Kel, were feared dead.
According to reports, the driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid hitting shepherds who were crossing the road.
An official told The Express Tribune that all passengers have drowned and no
bodies were recovered owing to the high water current of the river.“There is no hope that anyone has survived as there was no sign of any passenger in the river,” he said, adding that he feared there could have been more than 35 passengers on board. Local administration, military officials and locals
were combing the waters in search of bodies.
The conductor of the bus managed to escape as when the accident occurred he had been walking ahead of the bus helping the driver cross the herds. However, the lone survivor could not disclose details of the accident, as he was suffering from post-traumatic stress.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2011.