16 die as bus falls into deep gorge in Indian-ruled Kashmir

A bus fell off a road into a deep gorge in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir on Friday, killing 16 people and injuring 16 others.

The accident occurred when the driver lost control of the speeding bus on a sharp bend in the Himalayan road, police officer Rajinder Gupta said.

Gupta said the injured have been recovered from the 3,280-foot (1,000-meter) -deep gorge, including 11 seriously hurt people who were taken by helicopter to a hospital.

The area is 217 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Srinagar, the main city in the region.

Police figures show India has the world’s deadliest roads, with more than 110,000 people killed each year. Driver fatigue and negligence, low-quality roads and poor vehicle maintenance are frequent causes of accidents.

Photo: AP

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