14 Killed as Mini-Truck Falls Into Canal in Pakistan

Photo : Collected

At least 14 people were killed and several others injured after a mini-truck plunged into a canal amid dense fog in Pakistan’s Sargodha region late Friday night, rescue officials said on Saturday.

The accident occurred in the Kot Momin area when thick fog sharply reduced visibility, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The truck veered off the road and fell into the Ghala Pur Bangla canal, which was dry at the time, according to Rescue 1122 officials.

The vehicle was carrying 23 passengers. Seven people were crushed beneath the truck and died at the scene, rescue workers said.

Emergency teams rushed to the site and launched rescue operations, pulling victims and the injured from the wreckage. They were taken to a nearby THQ hospital, where seven more people later died while undergoing treatment.

The victims included six children and five women. Officials said the passengers were travelling to attend a funeral.

Large parts of Punjab province are currently experiencing heavy fog, significantly reducing road visibility, particularly during winter nights and early mornings. Authorities warned that such conditions make driving extremely hazardous and urged motorists to slow down and exercise caution.

Earlier this week, another fog-related accident in Dera Ismail Khan left two people dead and 14 others injured when a sugar-laden trailer collided with a passenger van on the Indus Highway.

That crash occurred near Basti Dawana in the Taunsa Sharif area after dense fog obscured visibility. Reports said the trailer was travelling from Rahim Yar Khan to Kohat, while the van was heading from Rammak to Multan. A tractor-trolley loaded with sugarcane was parked along the roadside, and as the trailer attempted to overtake it, the poor visibility led to a head-on collision with the oncoming van.