- Rescue officials say van fell into river near Noh Bridge.
- Bodies and injured shifted to a hospital in Gahkuch for treatment.
- A water rescue team called from Gilgit to assist with search operation.
GILGIT: At least 11 people were killed and three injured after a passenger van plunged into the Yasin River near Noh Bridge in the Ghizer District of Gilgit-Baltistan, rescue officials said.
The van was travelling from Gilgit to Hundur, a village located in the upper part of Yasin Valley within the Ghizer District, when it fell into the river.
Rescuers who reached the scene first reported five deaths and a number of injured, but the toll rose steadily as more bodies were brought out of the water. Rescue teams so far recovered 11 bodies and three injured people from the water.
The injured were shifted to a hospital in Gahkuch, the capital city of the Ghizer District, for treatment, while the search operation continued for anyone else who might have been aboard.
Rescue officials said darkness was making the rescue operation difficult. A water rescue team was also called from Gilgit to help search the river.
The crash comes days after another fatal accident involving a passenger bus travelling from Hunza to Rawalpindi. On November 7, eight people were killed and 30 others injured when the bus collided with a trailer near Havelian Interchange on the Hazara Motorway. The National Highways and Motorway Police said an investigation had been launched to establish the cause.
In 2018, seven men were killed when a passenger van plunged into a ravine near the Hoper valley.
In May 2024, at least 20 people were killed and 21 others injured when a passenger bus travelling from Rawalpindi to Gilgit-Baltistan plunged into a ravine in Diamer district.
Police said the bus had veered off a narrow mountain road.
The National Highways and Motorway Police have announced enforcement measures to improve passenger safety, including checks on public transport vehicles for overloading, valid fitness certificates, route permits and driving licences.
In March 2026, the force said it had launched a special campaign targeting overcharging, overloading and other traffic violations by public service vehicles. It also said passengers travelling on bus rooftops would be removed and vehicles with faulty tyres would not be allowed to continue their journeys.
