UPDATE - 22 killed as van falls into ravine in southwestern Pakistan

ADDS STATEMENT BY TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY

By Aamir Latif and Zehra Nur Duz

KARACHI, Pakistan / ANKARA (AA) - At least 22 people were killed Wednesday when a passenger van plunged into a ravine in southwestern Pakistan, according to an official.

The accident occurred while the van was negotiating a sharp turn in the mountainous range of Killa Saifullah district which is 333 kilometers (206 miles) from Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan province.

Mohammad Qasim Kakar, a top district official, told Anadolu Agency that one passenger, a 13-year-old boy, survived the accident.

The bodies of the victims have been recovered and the survivor is in critical condition, he said.

Traffic accidents are common in the large Balochistan province due to poor road infrastructure. The province borders Iran and Afghanistan.

The province, which is strategically important because of the rich presence of copper, zinc and natural gas, has a staggering 40,000 kilometers (24,855 miles) network of roads and highways, but none with a double-lane.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry offered condolences for the casualties.

“We wish Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives in the accident and convey our condolences to the friendly and brotherly people and Government of Pakistan,” it said.