Four injured, five missing after vehicle plunges into Ghizer River
GILGIT: At least four people were injured and five others went missing early Monday morning after a van plunged into the Ghizer River near the Harpun area of Gilgit district, Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to Gilgit police and Rescue 1122, the van was en route from Shakiot to Gilgit city when the driver lost control around 8:30 AM, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and fall into the river. At the time of the incident, nine passengers were on board.
Rescue teams, along with police personnel, arrived at the scene promptly. After the accident, two people managed to swim to safety, while two others were pulled from the river and immediately transported to Shaheed Saif-Ur-Rahman Government Teaching Hospital Gilgit and Provincial Headquarters Hospital (PHQ) for treatment. However, five passengers remain missing.
Police said search and rescue operations are actively underway, but efforts are being hindered by strong river currents.
District Emergency Officer Engineer Tahir Shah and Basin Police Sation House Officer Nuzul ur Rehman are overseeing the rescue operation with a heavy contingent of police. Authorities said that all available resources are being utilised in the ongoing search for the missing passengers.
In a similar accident on Saturday night, at least three members of a family died and three others went missing after their car plunged into a stream in the Bardas area of Nagar district, Gilgit-Baltistan.
The family was returning from a Nikkah ceremony when the car lost control and fell into the stream, resulting in six people drowning. One person was injured and rescued, while three others—including the groom—remain missing. There were seven passengers in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Search and rescue operations have continued into the second day as authorities work to recover the missing individuals.