17 killed as passenger van falls into river in Pakistan

At least 17 people were killed after a passenger van they were travelling in plunged into a river in Pakistan's mountainous Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

The vehicle was heading from Chilas to Rawalpindi when it fell into the Indus River in the Paniba area of Kohistan district, Dawn newspaper reported.

The van, privately hired by the family for a visit, had 17 people, including the driver. The accident took place when the driver lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a sharp turn.

It veered off into the Indus River and got submerged soon after, the police said, adding that 17 people have died in the incident. Rescue teams were trying to locate the missing passengers but faced hurdles due to the difficult terrain and depth of the river.

The roads linking the northern regions of the country run through some of the most treacherous mountains, causing frequent mishaps.