MUZAFFARABAD: Four children were killed and four others injured when a jeep carrying schoolchildren plunged into the Neelum River in Azad Kashmir (AJK), rescue officials said.
The jeep was travelling from Nager to Athmuqam when it met with an accident near Nager Ghoray Nakha, according to rescue sources. All the children involved in the incident belonged to the same family. The deceased included two brothers and a brother-sister pair.
Rescue teams and personnel from relevant departments rushed to the scene after receiving information about the accident and launched a search and rescue operation.
The bodies of the deceased were recovered from the river and shifted to a local hospital. They were identified as Hasnain, 12, son of Zahoor; Zareed, son of Zahoor; Tifo, 10, son of Mashkoor; and Aleen, daughter of Mashkoor.
The injured were identified as Rashida Bibi, wife of Zahoor; Mashkoor, 50, son of Zafarullah; Abdullah, 9, son of Mashkoor; and Aiman, 12, daughter of Zahoor. They were also shifted to hospital for medical treatment.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the risks faced by motorists travelling along routes near the Neelum River. Similar accidents have occurred in the area in the past, claiming dozens of lives.
Poor road conditions, sharp turns, mechanical failures, speeding, slippery surfaces and driver fatigue are among the factors associated with such accidents.
In a separate incident in September, a school van carrying children met with an accident near Lower Mohra Hotar in Murree, leaving 10 children and the driver with burn injuries.
Some of the injured were shifted to Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi for treatment. A 14-year-old girl, Ayesha, later died while receiving treatment, followed three days later by her brother, Arham, who also succumbed to his injuries.
