Bus crash in Pakistan kills 40 people

QUETTA, Pakistan — A passenger bus crashed into a pillar and fell off a bridge Sunday, catching fire and killing 40 people in southern Pakistan, a government official said.

The bus was carrying 44 passengers from Quetta in Balochistan province to Karachi in neighboring Sindh province. The accident was near the town of Bela, in Lasbela district.

Hamza Anjum Nadeem, assistant commissioner in Bela, said the bodies of 40 people, including women and children, were recovered. Four injured passengers were rescued.

“The accident happened due to over-speeding and the bus crashed into the pillar of a bridge. It caught fire soon after falling [off the bridge],” he said.

Images from the crash site showed what was left of the charred bus lying near the bridge. The recovered remains of some of the dead were lined up in rows nearby.

Nadeem said the bodies were charred beyond recognition and are being transported to Karachi for DNA sampling. After identification, the bodies will be handed over to the victims’ relatives.

Traffic accidents in Pakistan generally happen because of violation of traffic rules, resulting in the deaths of thousands every year.