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Pakistan bus crash kills children | Pakistan bus crash kills children |
(9 minutes later) | |
At least eight children have been killed after a train hit their school bus at an ungated railway crossing in Pakistan's Punjab province. | At least eight children have been killed after a train hit their school bus at an ungated railway crossing in Pakistan's Punjab province. |
A police official said that other children were injured in the incident near the town of Mian Channu. The driver of the bus was also killed. | |
There were no reports of casualties on the passenger train. | |
Railway crossings are often ungated, unmanned and poorly maintained in Pakistan, leading to such accidents. | Railway crossings are often ungated, unmanned and poorly maintained in Pakistan, leading to such accidents. |
Wednesday morning's collision happened in thick fog which had reduced visibility as the train, from Quetta, passed over the level crossing. | |
"The Lahore-bound Jaffer Express collided with a van carrying 24 children, killing [eight] of them and wounding [several] others," senior railway official Bashir Ahmad Khan told the AFP news agency. | "The Lahore-bound Jaffer Express collided with a van carrying 24 children, killing [eight] of them and wounding [several] others," senior railway official Bashir Ahmad Khan told the AFP news agency. |
The dead were all aged between eight and 10 years, officials said. | |
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has ordered an investigation into the "tragic" incident. | |
"The prime minister expressed deep grief and concern over the tragic road accident in which several school children lost their lives," a statement issued by his office said. | "The prime minister expressed deep grief and concern over the tragic road accident in which several school children lost their lives," a statement issued by his office said. |
Mr Gilani has also urged state-owned Pakistan Railways to "ensure proper vigilance at their unmanned crossings, particularly during times of fog". |