ABBOTTABAD, June 16: At least 23 schoolchildren were injured when the coaster they were travelling in fell into a deep ditch near Batangi village of Abbottabad on Saturday evening.

The students were coming from Nathiagali to Abbottabad when the vehicle skidded off the road and fell into the ditch. Three of the injured, including a teacher, were stated to be in a critical condition.

Some 76 students of the Pakistan Baitul Maal primary school, Peshawar, travelling in two vehicles, were on a study tour of Ayubia and Nathiagali. When the vehicles were coming back to Abbottabad, one of these fell into a deep ravine near Batangi on Nathiagali-Abbottabad road, injuring 23 students.

All the injured were shifted to the Ayub Medical complex in Abbottabad, where 16 of them were discharged after administering them the first-aid.