PESHAWAR, Jul 04 (APP):Seven people of the same family were killed and ten others sustained critical injuries when a van carrying them fell into a deep ravine near Chehkai area of Haripur district in the small hours of Thursday.
According to Rescue 1122, the ill-fated family was traveling from Swabi Meera area to Islamabad airport when it plunged into a gorge while navigating a sharp turn in the vicinity of Sadar police station Haripur. Seven people died instantly and ten others sustained critical injuries.
A total of 17 family members were aboard the vehicle to receive one of their relatives at Islamabad airport.
Rescue 1122 said women and children were among those killed and injured in the mishap, adding that the death toll might increase as some of the injured were in critical condition. The rescue workers faced difficulties in the recovery operation due to the depth of the ditch, storm, and rainy conditions.
Rescue teams promptly arrived at the scene after being notified and transported the deceased and injured to the hospital.
Local sources said the vehicle fell into a ravine due to its high speed on the road having sharp and dangerous turns. They said the vehicle fell into a 200-foot-deep ditch.
It merits mention here that the high rate of fatal traffic accidents in the area is attributed to poor road conditions, poorly maintained vehicles, and reckless driving.