Pakistan was in mourning on Sunday after two tragedies that occurred a few hours apart in the west of the country: the accident of a bus which killed at least 41 people, then the sinking of a boat which claimed the lives of ten children at least.
A rescue operation was underway on Sunday at Tandam Lake in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after a ship carrying 25 to 30 students on a school trip capsized, AFP told AFP. police officer Mir Rauf.
Ten children between the ages of 7 and 14 were found dead and 11 others were rescued, including six in serious condition, the policeman added, adding that up to nine others were still missing.
Earlier, at least 41 people died in the crash of a bus that exploded after falling off a bridge north of the town of Bela in Balochistan province.
"The dead bodies are unrecognizable," said Hamza Anjum, an official from Lasbela district where the tragedy occurred.
One of the three survivors rescued from the wreckage succumbed to his injuries shortly after and the other two are in serious condition, Anjum said.
The bus was carrying 48 passengers when it hit a pillar before going over the railing of the bridge it was traveling on.
Leaving from the capital of Balochistan, Quetta, the vehicle had driven at night to the port city of Karachi, located about 700 kilometers to the south.
"We fear that the driver fell asleep," said Hamza Anjum, adding that the speed could also be the cause of this tragedy.
An investigation must be opened to determine this and DNA tests will be carried out to identify the "severely mutilated" victims, the official said.
Transport safety is often questioned in Pakistan, where mortality is particularly high on the roads, between expressways in poor condition, lax regulations and dangerous driving.
Buses there are often filled to the limit of their capacity and wearing seat belts is not a widespread reflex. Road accidents involving a single vehicle are frequent.
A minibus fell in November at the bottom of a ravine filled with water, in the south of the country, resulting in the death of twenty people including eleven children.
In August, a collision between a bus and a tanker truck filled with gasoline in the suburbs of Multan, capital of the eastern province of Punjab, caused as many victims.
According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 27,000 people died on Pakistan's roads in 2018.
Deadly shipwrecks are also common in the country, where many boats in poor condition and overloaded sail despite the risk of falling.
Many Pakistanis do not know how to swim, especially women, discouraged by conservative local mores. For them, the full suits, which weigh very heavy once wet, are an additional danger on the water.
01/29/2023 10:24:35 - Bela (Pakistan) (AFP) - © 2023 AFP
