- The truck was carrying nomadic families from Bahrain, Swat.
- The majority of those killed were children, says the deputy commissioner.
- Rescue teams took the injured to hospital after the accident.
MALAKAND: At least fifteen people were killed when a truck fell into a ravine on the Swat Highway, according to rescue officials on Thursday.
The vehicle was reportedly carrying a group of nomads traveling from Bahrain, Swat, when it left the road and plunged into the ravine. Rescue said eight people were injured in the incident and were taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Fayaz said most of the dead were children.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted concerns about road safety in the country, where accidents are frequent due to poor infrastructure, speeding and overloading of vehicles.
Earlier this month, seven nomads, including six members of their families, were killed and six others injured when a high-speed truck ran over workers sleeping on the roadside near Kuddan Hotel in Shikarpur.
The truck, loaded with vegetables, reportedly crashed into an electricity pole before losing control and crashing into the nomads’ camp. The accident caused the death of seven workers at the site and six others were injured.
Police stated that the tragedy occurred because the driver lost control of the vehicle, and initial investigations point to excessive speed as the cause.
The incident follows two separate accidents in Balochistan earlier the same week, which claimed at least 13 lives, including women and children, and left dozens injured.
Local authorities reported that six people lost their lives and 17 others were seriously injured when a passenger bus collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction near Zero Point in Lasbela’s Uthal.
In the other incident, seven people were killed and 16 injured after a coach crashed in Hub-Winder.
Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules are rarely followed and roads in many rural areas are in poor condition.
