Nearly three dozen were killed and close to two dozen were injured in a devastating bus crash in Iran after the vehicle’s “brakes failed.”
Videos by Suggest
According to BBC, the deadly accident occurred in the Iranian province of Yazd near the Dehshir-Taft checkpoint, which is around 681km (423 miles) south of the capital Tehran.
A group of Pakistani pilgrims were on board the bus and were traveling to the Iraqi holy city of Karbala for a religious event.
Officials claimed a defective brake system is to blame for the devastating bus crash. Yazd province crisis management director Ali Malekzadeh detailed the situation by stating the vehicle tumbled off the road.
This was “due to lack of control by the driver of the vehicle, unfamiliarity with the road, high speed and technical problems.”
The vehicle also burst into flames amid the crash.
The death toll is 17 men and 11 women. Pakistani authorities are now working on bringing the bodies of the deceased home.
Interior Minister Moshin Naqvi stated, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of precious human lives in the bus accident in Iran. Unfortunately, 11 women and 17 men lost their lives in this accident.”
“Seven of the injured people are in critical condition,” Naqvi said. “And six injured people have now left the hospital.”
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari mobilized the foreign ministry to repatriate the bodies of those killed in the crash. The foreign ministry will also provide aid to those injured.
Pakistan’s consulate in Iran is being asked to assist in recovery efforts as well.
Meanwhile, Pakistani religious leader Qamar Abbas feared as many as 35 people perished in the crash. He revealed that the pilgrims came from the city of Larkana in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.
Iran Was Known For Poor Traffic Safety Before Bus Crash
BBC further reports that Iran is known for its poor traffic safety record. It is considered among the worst in the world.
The UN’s road safety fund has an ongoing project that is looking into how Iran can improve its record.
Along with the devastating bus crash, another crash in Iran’s southeast region killed six people with 18 reportedly injured.
The World Health Organization (WHO) previously announced in Nov. 2018 that it was ready to assist the Islamic Republic of Iran in improving road safety within the country.
At the time, Dr. Christoph Hamelmann, WHO Representative in the Islamic Republic of Iran, told numerous high-ranking officers and experts from the University of Traffic Police that the organization was looking to implement key components of the national road safety plan.
This included improvements in emergency care, road safety reports, and an integrated traffic injury registry.