Official: Van falls into river killing 7 in NW Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A minivan fell from a mountain road into a river Sunday in northwestern Pakistan, killing seven people and injuring three others, a rescue official said.

Ahmed Faizi, spokesman for Pakistan’s rescue service, said the van fell into Siren River in the district of Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. He said the fall apparently happened because the van was speeding when it made a sharp turn without slowing down.

Faizi said the bodies of two women, a boy and four men were recovered and three injured children were taken to a hospital in the town of Phulra.

Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor road infrastructure and disregard for traffic laws and safety standards.

Last week, a passenger bus fell into Jehlum River near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, killing 10 people and injuring 15.