ABBOTTABAD, Dec 9: Nine people were killed and eight others were injured when a pick-up plunged into a deep ditch near Hajia Gali in Havelian here on Thursday evening.

The pick-up was carrying 17 passengers from Havelian to village Bodla. It skidded off the road at a sharp turn near Hajia Gali and fell into the deep ditch, killing eight people on the spot, while one died in hospital.

All the injured were admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Abbottabad and Ayub Medical Complex where three of them were stated to be in critical condition.

The dead included five women. They were identified as Sakeena Jan, Dil Jan, Riffat Bibi, Safdar Jan and Sabir Jan. The male victims are Safeer Ahmed, Faqeer Ahmed, Waseem (9) and a minor child, Safeer.