At least 25 killed, 25 missing after passenger bus plunges into Kashmir's Neelum River

At least 25 killed, 25 missing after passenger bus plunges into Kashmir's Neelum River

2011-05-27 20:06:49 GMT+7 (ICT)

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- At least 25 people have been killed after a passengers bus carrying around 50 people in the Kashmir region plunged into the Neelum River on Friday, local media reported.

The passenger bus took off early Friday morning from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan's Azad Jammu and Kashmir, carrying around 50 passengers toward the upper Neelum Valley, Kashmir Watch reported, but around 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Muzaffarabad, the bus plunged around 1000 feet into the river at a narrow mountainous passage at Changaan.

According to Pakistan's the Nation, 25 bodies had been recovered, while the rest of the people remained unaccounted for, as a large group of local residents rushed to the scene in search of the drowned victims.

Members of Pakistan's Army stationed near the area alerted civil administration about the incident, but news regarding rescue and search efforts is not yet known.

The panoramic Neelum Valley runs for around 90 miles, but the Changaan area is a relatively isolated area where no immediate rescue teams would be available, with the exception of stationed soldiers.

It is still uncertain whether passengers were local residents from the Neelum Valley or if foreigners were also a board.

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