At least twenty persons are feared dead and several others seriously injured as a passenger coaster going from Rawalpindi to Astore skidded in a 1,500-feet deep ravine down KK Highway, reports said on Thursday.
Rescue team faced difficulties in recovering the dead bodies and injured persons, as accident site was not easily approachable. Army was requested to join the rescuers. A large number of people living in the area recovered nine bodies hours after the accident and were making efforts to recover others.
The rescuers also appealed for army helicopters to swiftly shift the dead and the injured. Recovered injured persons were shifted and were taken the nearest local hospital. According to available details received from Astore, the ill-fated coaster no.7976 belonged to Mahfooz Travel Agency and it fell into deep ravine near Kiro Kaka when the driver lost control over it.