AT LEAST 40 people have been ‘burned alive’ in a horror crash in Pakistan.
The vehicle plunged off a cliff into a ravine in the mountainous Bolochistan region of the country and burst into flames in the early hours of Sunday morning.
geo.tvThe bus burst into flames after reportedly plunging off a cliff[/caption]
AFPIt is believed to have been carrying 44 passengers, 40 of whom have died[/caption]
It is believed to have been carrying 44 passengers from Quetta to Karachi.
Hamza Anjum Nadeem, Assistant Commissioner of the Lasbela district, confirmed that the bodies of 40 people had been recovered and four passengers rescued.
There were women and children among the dead, who local media reported had been “burned alive”.
Rescue workers reportedly faced difficulty getting to the crash site due to cold weather in the morning.
Assistant Commissioner Nadeem said: “The accident happened due to over-speeding and the bus crashed into the pillar of a bridge.
“It caught fire soon after falling into the ravine.”
He added that the bodies were charred beyond recognition and DNA sampling was underway to try and identify them.
After they have been identified, their remains will be released to their relatives.
The chief minister of Balochistan, Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo expressed his sorrow over the tragedy and asked local authorities to provide the best medical care possible to the injured.
AFPThe crash was caused by ‘over-speeding’, according to local officials[/caption]
