Rescue, local administration and police have confirmed that 41 bodies were recovered from the bus that crashed into a ravine near Chinki stop in Bela, Lasbela.
Three people were rescued from the bus alive but injured. Two survivors survived, but one died.
Officials said the bus carrying around 48 people from Balochistan’s capital Quetta to Karachi fell into a ravine and caught fire early Sunday morning.
Bela Assistant Commissioner Hamza Anjum Nadeem said the rescue operation had been completed, and 40 bodies were removed from the bus. However, he confirmed that the bodies were unidentifiable and only DNA testing would identify the deceased.
Nadeem said the rescue workers initially struggled because it was dark in the morning due to cold weather.
According to the initial reports, speeding caused the bus to lose control and crash into the ravine. Firefighters, rescue staff, and law enforcement teams rescued people.
According to a provincial government, the charred brown chassis of the vehicle smoked on a dry riverbed under the bridge on Sunday. A team will use heavy machinery to move the twisted metal and pull out the burnt remains covered in white cloth.
Head of the local rescue service Asghar Ramazan told AFP the bus had been loaded with oil containers.
“When the bus fell, it immediately caught fire. The oil caused the fire to flare up so much that it was difficult to control,” he added.
