MUZAFFARABAD, March 26: At least 18 Pakistan Army soldiers and two other people were killed when their jeep plunged into a river in the Neelum valley in northeast of Muzaffarabad on Wednesday, official sources said.

The private jeep (AJKD-6236), on way to Sharda from Lawat village, was carrying 25 people — much beyond its capacity — when a portion of the road caved in and the vehicle fell into the river, some 400 feet down the road.

Four soldiers and a cleaner Mohammad Shakil jumped out of the vehicle to save their lives. However, 18 armymen and two others were drowned, the sources said.

Armymen and officers reached the site of the accident and carried out the rescue operation with the help of local people.

Eighteen bodies were fished out of the river till the last reports came in and search was continuing to recover the remaining two bodies, including the driver of the vehicle.