A bus carrying wedding guests falls into a river in northern Pakistan, killing 18

MANSEHRA, Pakistan (AP) — A bus carrying wedding guests fell into the Indus River in northern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least 18 people, officials said.

It happened in the Gilgit Baltistan region as the bus was heading to Chakwal, a city in Punjab province, government spokesman Faizullah Farqan said.

He said a search for bodies continued.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari offered condolences and asked rescuers to expedite efforts to find missing passengers.

Road accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor infrastructure and disregard for traffic laws and safety standards. In August, 36 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in two separate bus crashes.

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