GILGIT: Three persons died and 18 were injured when a Skardu-bound passenger coaster coming from Rawalpindi plunged into a ravine on Karakorum Highway (KKH) near Chilas in Diamer district on Sunday morning.

According to police, the vehicle was carrying 25 passengers, mostly belonging to Skardu.

The three passengers who died on the spot were from Mardan, Kohistan, KP, and Narwal in Punjab.

Rescue 1122, police and local volunteers shifted the injured and death bodies to a government hospital at Chilas. The police said seven of the injured were in critical situation.

Last month, 25 passengers from Gilgit-Baltistan died when a Rawalpindi-bound passenger bus from Ghizer fell into ravine near Kohistan.

According to Deputy Commissioner Diamer Fayyaz Ahmed, the district administration was taking steps to make travel on Karakoram Highway safe. A traffic regulation team has been established on the KKH.

Two teams consisting of a magistrate, police and excise police will conduct traffic fitness checking of vehicles.

A speed limit of 45km per hour has been imposed on all vehicles plying on the KKH. The traffic regulation team will check the speed of vehicles using speed guns at various locations. All HD and fancy lights have been banned, he added.

A passenger coaster will be allowed to carry 25 passengers, including the driver.

GB Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid expressed sorrow over the loss of human lives in the coaster accident near Chilas and ordered the administration, health department and Rescue 1122 to take all possible steps to help the injured.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2023