A tragic incident occurred in northern Pakistan on Tuesday when a bus transporting wedding attendees plunged into the Indus River, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 individuals, according to local officials.

The accident took place in the Gilgit-Baltistan region while the bus was en route to Chakwal, a city located in the Punjab province. Faizullah Farqan, a spokesman for the government, confirmed that search efforts were still ongoing to locate additional bodies at the crash site.

In response to the disaster, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his sorrow and urged rescue teams to intensify their search for any missing passengers.

Road incidents are unfortunately frequent in Pakistan, largely attributed to substandard infrastructure and widespread non-compliance with traffic regulations and safety guidelines. Earlier in August, two separate bus accidents resulted in the fatalities of 36 people and left many others injured.