10 Killed in Ghizer Van Accident in Yasin River

Ten people died in a Ghizer van accident on Thursday evening when a passenger van plunged into the Yasin River in Gilgit-Baltistan. Two passengers were injured in the crash.

The van was travelling from Gilgit to Yasin Valley when it met with the accident near Morkah village at around 7:30pm. The vehicle left the road and fell into the river, rescue officials said.

Local volunteers rushed to the site and retrieved the bodies and injured passengers from the river. The bodies were taken to Civil Hospital Taus, while the two injured passengers were taken to Civil Hospital Gupis for treatment. After first aid, the injured were transferred to the District Headquarters Hospital in Gahkuch for further treatment. Rescue officials said both injured passengers were in critical condition. The death toll rose to 10, including two women, according to the authorities.

Ghizer van accident: rescue and response

The rescue was led by local volunteers, who reached the site soon after receiving word of the accident and pulled the bodies and the injured from the river. The injured were first taken to Civil Hospital Gupis, close to the crash site, and then moved to the District Headquarters Hospital in Gahkuch once they had received first aid.

The two injured passengers were in critical condition, rescue officials said. The authorities have not released the names of the dead or the injured. An investigation is under way to establish what caused the van to leave the road.

The crash happened on a stretch of road that runs close to the river, with few barriers between the carriageway and the water in several places. Night driving on the mountain route leaves little room for error, and rescue work is slow because the nearest hospitals are far from many crash sites.

A grim week on the roads

The Ghizer crash is the third fatal road accident reported in Pakistan in a week. On Wednesday, three people were killed and 13 injured when a coach collided with a motorcycle in Dera Ismail Khan, according to Rescue 1122.

Last week, eight people were killed and 30 injured when a passenger bus travelling from Gilgit to Islamabad collided with a dumper truck near the Havelian Interchange on the Hazara Motorway. A day earlier, a collision between a passenger bus and a truck claimed 11 lives and left 33 people injured near Pakpattan in Punjab.

The pattern underlines the risks on mountain roads in the north, where sharp bends, steep drops and night driving leave little room for error. Northern areas have also faced rain and snow in recent days, which can make road surfaces slippery. Snowfall has already blocked the road to Babusar Top, a key route in the region.

Why the Yasin Valley road is risky

The road from Gilgit to Yasin Valley runs through narrow mountain terrain. Vehicles share the route with local traffic, and there are few barriers between the road and the river in several stretches. Rescue work is slow because the nearest hospitals are far from the crash sites.

Motorway Police rescued 11 children from a burning van earlier this month, a reminder that a quick response can save lives when accidents happen. A school bus crash in Murree and a road incident in Toba Tek Singh have also put road safety back in focus this month.

Gilgit-Baltistan is also coping with the wider effects of climate stress, with disasters displacing around 1,000 families in the region every year. Better roads and faster rescue services remain a pressing need for the remote valleys.

Frequently asked questions

How many people died in the Ghizer van accident?

Ten people died, including two women. Two passengers were injured and were in critical condition.

Where did the accident happen?

The van plunged into the Yasin River near Morkah village in Ghizer district, Gilgit-Baltistan, while travelling from Gilgit to Yasin Valley.

When did the accident happen?

The accident happened on Thursday evening, November 12, at around 7:30pm.

Who were the victims?

Their names have not been released.

What caused the van to fall into the river?

The cause has not been confirmed. An investigation is under way to establish what happened.