Seventeen passengers lost their lives while around 20 others sustained injuries when a speedy long wheeler hit a coaster on National Highway some 50 kilometer away from here early Monday morning.
The Incharge Edhi Foundation Hyderabad Mairaj Qureshi said that the deceased and injured persons were the residents of Village Muhammad Hashim Ganway of New Hyderabad City and were coming in a coaster from Sakrand town after attending wedding ceremony.
Miaraj Qureshi said that when the coaster reached between Hala and Bhitshah, the driver stopped it at the side of highway following puncture in one of its tyre.
During replacement of tyre, the driver of a long wheeler failed to see the parked coaster and hit and dragged the coaster and both vehicles rammed masjid situated along the highway.
As a result of tragic accident, 17 persons seriously injured and succumbed their injuries before they could get any first aid. Soon after the accident, the Edhi volunteers along with ambulances rushed to the spot and started rescuing the passengers.
The bodies and injured persons were shifted to Liaquat University Hospital City Branch Hyderabad where the hospital management had declared emergency.
Out of 17 deceased persons 14 of them have been identified as Shahmeera, Shahneela, Junaid, Muneer, Muhammad Saleem, Imtiaz, Ameen, Ayoub, Suhail, Rashid, Shahzad, Farhan, Sameena and Sahibzadi.
