MUZAFFARABAD: A tourist couple from Sialkot lost their lives, and their minor daughter sustained critical injuries when their car plunged off the road and landed on the rocky bank of the Neelum River on Thursday morning.

Akhtar Ayoub, the district disaster management officer in Neelum Valley, toldDawnthat the car, which was carrying the three family members, met with the tragic accident near Sandog Syedan village, about 70 kilometers from Muzaffarabad, at approximately 8am.

“It’s not immediately clear what caused the vehicle to veer off the road and fall nearly 200 feet down onto the riverbank,” he said, adding that the frost-covered road and speeding could have been contributing factors.

The badly damaged vehicle was partially submerged and visible from the roadside.

Mr Ayoub said although the water discharge in the icy river was considerably less during the current lean period, the car could have been swept away by the strong current if it had fallen a few yards ahead, making the recovery of bodies or survivors much more challenging.

Rescue 1122 officials, residing near the accident site, launched a rescue operation with the assistance of local residents.

On reaching the wreckage, they found the couple dead and their daughter, sitting in the rear seat, critically injured.

The injured girl was first treated at a local health facility and then shifted to Muzaffarabad, where she was admitted to a hospital.

The deceased were identified as Malik Ali Nayyar, 40, and Hajira Aslam, 34.

It was the third accident on the Neelum Valley road in less than two weeks, blamed on careless driving through the frosty roads.

On December 15, four locals, including a toddler, had lost their lives, and seven others, mostly children, were injured when their jeep skidded off a frost-covered track in the upper Neelum Valley.

On December 24, four members of a wedding party from Mansehra lost their lives, while the groom was injured after their car plunged into the icy Neelum River in upper Neelum Valley.

Expressing grief over the tragic incidents, AJK’s minister for information Pir Mazhar Saeed said most accidents were occurring due to the negligence of drivers.

“We have been constantly raising our voice through different mediums to press motorists, particularly those not familiar with the terrain and climatic conditions of the valley, to exercise extra caution in the current harsh weather.”

“Please keep the speed of your vehicles slow and avoid driving in the early and late hours when the roads are covered with layers of frost,” said the minister, who also belongs to the valley.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2024