ISLAMABAD: At least 40 people were killed and eight others injured on Friday when a passenger bus traveling toward Peshawar fell into a ravine near the border of Balochistan’s Sherani district and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan, officials said.

According to authorities, the bus left Quetta with 36 passengers but picked up additional travelers from a stranded vehicle along the route, bringing the total number of passengers to around 48.

Rescue teams, including emergency services from both provinces, reached the site shortly after the incident and carried out recovery operations. The injured were taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Zhob, while the deceased were initially moved to a nearby health facility before being transferred.

Officials said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.