GILGIT: At least eight people, including women and children, died and nine others were injured on Friday when a van carrying tourists plunged into a ravine near Babusar Top in the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan, officials said.

Rescue 1122 officials told Dawn that a van, carrying 18 tourists from Sahiwal was en route to Gilgit via Babusar Pass road, fell into a deep ravine and caught fire.

Diamer Assistant Comm­iss­ioner Sadaqat Ali said that Rescue 1122 perso­nnel and local police shifted the injured people, mostly women and child­ren, and one body to Regional Headquarters Hospital Chilas. Seven bodies and one unharmed tourist have been shifted to Naran-Kaghan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Rescue officials said the accident occurred due to overspeeding while crossing the high-altitude road. The injured have been identified as Zahid, Reeda, Arooj Fatima, Amna, Abdul Malik, Atiya, Ayesha, Maryam, and Zaib-Nisa.

GB Chief Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani, visited the hospital to inquire about the health of the injured and directed hospital officials to provide every possible treatment to the injured.

Sources said the condition of most injured are stable. GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbarkhan expressed his condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families.

Babusar Top, at a height of 13,691 feet above sea level, is a famous tourist destination that connects KP with GB. It is situated to the north of the 150km long Kaghan Valley, and it connects with Chilas on the Karakoram Highway via the Thak Nala.

Passengers and tourists travel between GB and other parts of the country through Babusar Pass road in summers. According to data, at least 45 people, including tourists, have lost their lives in accidents during the month of July on different routes like KKH, Babusar Pass road, and Juglot-Skardu road.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2023