Three women dead, several missing in Astore road accident

GILGIT: At least three women lost their lives and several others are missing after a tourist vehicle plunged into a ravine in Astore on Tuesday.

The vehicle, bearing Islamabad number plate AJA 746, was en route to the picturesque Valley Tarrishing when it met with a tragic accident.

According to rescue sources, the incident occurred near the Purana Kot area of Harcho Valley on the Astore Valley road. The vehicle was hit by a landslide, causing it to plunge into the Astore River. The impact was fatal for three women who died on the spot.

The ill-fated vehicle was carrying members of a single family from Islamabad who had planned to visit the scenic Tarrishing Valley, where they had a hotel booking.

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Locals, upon receiving news of the Astore accident, rushed to the scene and managed to retrieve the bodies from under the debris. Eyewitnesses reported that Rescue 1122 teams arrived late due to the difficult terrain and the distance from main Astore.

Rescue teams found two service cards at the accident site, identifying the victims as Brigadier (Retired) Shabbir Ahmed and Air Commodore (Retired) Sher Zada Khan. Additionally, children’s sandals were discovered at the scene, indicating that the number of fatalities could be higher.

Three rescue teams have been dispatched from Astore, while two teams from Chilas are engaged in the search for bodies between Thalichi and the accident site. The exact number of individuals in the vehicle remains unknown, as there was no entry recorded at the Doyan Check Post.

Two bodies have been recovered and transferred to Astore District Headquarters Hospital while the body of the third woman was not retrieved from the debris till the report was filed. Rescue efforts continue as authorities strive to locate the missing and recover any additional bodies from the river.