UPPER DIR, Feb 1: Eight people were killed and 11 others injured when a van plunged into a ravine near Sheringal town here on Wednesday. Local people and police said that the van (PSD-176) was a part of three-vehicle convoy taking a body to Doog Darra and it plunged into a ravine at Jitkot near Sheringal town before dawn.

They said that eight people, including two women and a child, were killed in the incident and 11 others sustained injuries. The dead were identified as Siraj, Owais, Mohammad Yar, Said Hakeem, Nawab, Amir Alam, Shamim Bibi, Saeeda Bibi and Inam.

The injured, including seven women, were taken to the district headquarters hospital, Upper Dir, hours after the accident. The police said that occupants of the other two vehicles could not notice immediately that the van coming behind them had met an accident.

They said that the incident took place at 4am in the morning and the injured were retrieved at 6am.

Hospital sources said that one woman who had received serious head injuries was referred to a Peshawar hospital. Snow has turned roads slippery in the area, but the injured at the Dir hospital said the accident occurred due to drowsiness of the van driver.