15 killed, 22 injured in road accident in northern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, May 3 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed and 22 others injured on Friday morning after a passenger bus fell into a ravine in the Diamir district of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region in northern Pakistan, an official told Xinhua.

The spokesperson for GB Chief Minister Faizullah Faraq told Xinhua that the accident bus fell into the ravine while taking a sharp turn in the Yashoo Kheal Das area.

Police and rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted 15 bodies and the 22 injured to a nearby hospital, including children and women.

The official feared that the death toll might rise as several of the injured were in critical condition and some passengers were still trapped in the bus.

The spokesperson added that the bus was heading towards Hunza district from the country's eastern garrison city of Rawalpindi.

An initial report by police said that the accident took place after the driver lost control of the bus at the turn due to overspeeding.