ISLAMABAD/TEHRAN - At least 28 Pakistani pilgrims died and 23 others were injured in a bus crash in the Iranian city of Yazd, Pakistan’s ambassador to Tehran said on Wednesday. “Embassy officials have already left for Yazd, almost 700 km (435 miles) away from embassy, this morning. An officer in Zahedan is overseeing emergency arrangements. I’m in touch with Iran government and office of Mayor of Yazd for crucial arrangements,” Ambassador Muhammad Mudassir Tipu said on X.
The accident occurred due to the failure of the brakes, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.
Earlier, Radio Pakistan reported that at least 35 people were killed and 15 others were injured in the accident. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed grief over the accident and extended condolences to bereaved families.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has activated its Crisis Management Unit in view of the unfortunate road accident involving the deaths of Pakistani Zaireen at Yazd in Iran.
According to a report, the coach of pilgrims headed by Syed Athar Shah Shamsi from Larkana broke down in Zaireen, Iran. According to initial information, there were 55 people including the driver and conductor in the coach. As a result of the accident, more than 28 pilgrims died on the spot. However, more than 20 pilgrims seriously injured, many of them are said to be in serious condition.
The emergency rescue team of the Iranian administration reached the spot and removed the bodies and the injured under the coach and transferred them to the hospital, where the process of identification of the dead and injured is ongoing.
Initial reports suggested that the accident was caused by a brake failure, leading the bus to overturn and catch fire near the Taftan-Dehshir checkpoint.
A preliminary investigation by traffic police in Yazd revealed that a technical defect in the bus’s braking system led to the horrific incident.
The Arbaeen pilgrimage, marking the 40th day of mourning for Imam Hussein, attracts millions of Shia Muslims annually, many of whom travel through Iran to reach their destination.
This pilgrimage is significant in the Shia Muslim community, with last year’s commemoration in Karbala drawing around 22 million pilgrims.
