At least 20 people lost their lives while seven others were injured on Monday morning as a passenger van rammed into a coal filled truck near Sindh's Khairpur district.

According to local police officials, the van driver attempted to overtake the truck on Tehari Bypass but ended up slamming into the vehicle.

The two vehicles fell off the road and into a ditch as a result of the collision.

Khairpur Senior Superintendent of Police Azfar Mahesar said that survivors said that the police that driver had erred in trying to overtake the truck amid thick fog.

Rescue officials told Dawn that the search and rescue operation was delayed because the coal in the truck was a hazard, adding that cutters were being used to cut away the vehicles' carcass to rescue the passengers.

The deceased and injured where shifted to Khairpur Civil Hospital, from where 12 of the bodies were handed to their families.