ISLAMABAD, May 29 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed after a loader rickshaw plunged into a ravine in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, officials said on Friday.
The accident occurred on Thursday evening in the Khurshidabad area of Haveli Kahuta district when the vehicle, carrying tourists returning from a recreational trip, veered off the road and fell into a deep ravine at Mana Mor, rescue officials said.
Two people, including the driver, died on the spot, while five critically injured passengers were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Haveli Kahuta for emergency treatment, officials added.
Due to the severity of their injuries, the victims were later referred to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Islamabad, where they succumbed to their injuries during treatment, according to hospital authorities.
Rescue teams and local administration officials launched an operation immediately after the accident to retrieve the victims and provide medical assistance.
Police have initiated an investigation into the cause of the accident. ■
