At least seven medical students drowned and nine others were missing as a wooden bridge on a river in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir collapsed while the students were taking pictures on it.

Around 25 students, in their early 20s, from two private colleges in Faisalabad and Lahore, were taking pictures on the bridge in Neelam Valley when it collapsed, officials were quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

The temporarily erected hanging bridge could not withstand the load of people standing on it and came down, tumbling the visitors down in the stream, the daily said.

As per reports, 14 students were rescued after the bridge collapsed and that civil and military rescue teams were searching for 11 others.&nbsp;

The injured students were shifted to a local hospital and later flown to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) through army helicopters.

"We recovered seven dead bodies and 11 injured tourists from the stream while at least nine people were still missing," Commissioner Muzaffarabad Imtiaz Ahmed said.&nbsp;The students were on a college trip.

The Pakistan Army is assisting in the rescue and search operation. However, the extremely cold water of the stream and its strong current are hampering efforts to recover the persons, the officials said, adding that there was little hope of finding survivors.

Officials were quoted as saying that the bridge could only withstand a maximum of four persons and had relevant warning signs for the purpose as well but the tourists still thronged the bridge.

Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan also reached the scene to personally supervise the rescue operation. He directed the deputy commissioner of the district to accelerate the search.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has expressed grief and sorrow over the incident in Neelam Valley and directed the authorities concerned to make utmost efforts in rescue operation.

Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa also expressed grief over the incident and directed all possible assistance to civil administration for relief and rescue.&nbsp;

On July 7 last year, a tourist family from Rawalpindi also faced a similar tragedy when three of its young members were swept away around the same spot.

Around 25 students, in their early 20s, from two private colleges in Faisalabad and Lahore, were taking pictures on the bridge in Neelam Valley when it collapsed

At least seven medical students drowned and nine others were missing as a wooden bridge on a river in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir collapsed while the students were taking pictures on it. Around 25 students, in their early 20s, from two private colleges in Faisalabad and Lahore, were taking pictures on the bridge in Neelam Valley when it collapsed, officials were quoted as saying by the Express Tribune. The temporarily erected hanging bridge could not withstand the load of people standing on it and came down, tumbling the visitors down in the stream, the daily said. As per reports, 14 students were rescued after the bridge collapsed and that civil and military rescue teams were searching for 11 others. The injured students were shifted to a local hospital and later flown to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) through army helicopters. "We recovered seven dead bodies and 11 injured tourists from the stream while at least nine people were still missing," Commissioner Muzaffarabad Imtiaz Ahmed said. The students were on a college trip. The Pakistan Army is assisting in the rescue and search operation. However, the extremely cold water of the stream and its strong current are hampering efforts to recover the persons, the officials said, adding that there was little hope of finding survivors. Officials were quoted as saying that the bridge could only withstand a maximum of four persons and had relevant warning signs for the purpose as well but the tourists still thronged the bridge. Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan also reached the scene to personally supervise the rescue operation. He directed the deputy commissioner of the district to accelerate the search. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has expressed grief and sorrow over the incident in Neelam Valley and directed the authorities concerned to make utmost efforts in rescue operation. Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa also expressed grief over the incident and directed all possible assistance to civil administration for relief and rescue. On July 7 last year, a tourist family from Rawalpindi also faced a similar tragedy when three of its young members were swept away around the same spot.

7 students killed, 9 missing as bridge collapses in PoK

At least 18 people were killed, 13 injured and about a dozen went missing as two coal mines collapsed in different areas of Pakistan's Balochistan on Saturday, media reports said.

A mine in Marwar area near provincial capital Quetta collapsed due to gas explosion and about two dozen miners were trapped inside. 
Deputy Commissioner Quetta Farrukh Atique told PTI that that 16 people have died in the collapse.

"We have recovered all the 16 bodies from the rubble caused by the collapse in the coal mine," Atique said.

"We have also rescued six workers who are trapped in the rubble and have sent them to the hospital for treatment but one miner is still trapped under the rubble," he said.

Rescue officials said a dozen of the dead miners belonged to Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

"The collapse apparently took place because of a gas explosion and the miners working at that time were trapped inside. Some died on the spot while others who were badly injured breathed their last under the rubble," Atique said.

Chief of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Muhammad Tariq also confirmed that 16 miners had been killed. 
"So far 16 dead bodies and six injured miners have been recovered from the mine," he said.

In another incident, at least nine miners were trapped in a mine of Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) near Quetta, an official said.

He said the rescue workers recovered two dead bodies and two injured miners, while efforts were on to recover another five workers who remain trapped.

Mining is considered highly dangerous in Pakistan where dozens of miners die each year due to lack of modern mining facilities, training and equipment.

According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation (PCMLF), about 100 to 200 labourers die on average in coal mine accidents every year.

Last month, at least 11 miners died in two separate mining incidents in Darra Adam Khel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Jhelum district of Punjab.&nbsp;

Officials said the death toll might rise as at least five people were trapped under the debris of the collapsed mine.

At least 18 people were killed, 13 injured and about a dozen went missing as two coal mines collapsed in different areas of Pakistan's Balochistan on Saturday, media reports said. A mine in Marwar area near provincial capital Quetta collapsed due to gas explosion and about two dozen miners were trapped inside. Deputy Commissioner Quetta Farrukh Atique told PTI that that 16 people have died in the collapse. "We have recovered all the 16 bodies from the rubble caused by the collapse in the coal mine," Atique said. "We have also rescued six workers who are trapped in the rubble and have sent them to the hospital for treatment but one miner is still trapped under the rubble," he said. Rescue officials said a dozen of the dead miners belonged to Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "The collapse apparently took place because of a gas explosion and the miners working at that time were trapped inside. Some died on the spot while others who were badly injured breathed their last under the rubble," Atique said. Chief of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Muhammad Tariq also confirmed that 16 miners had been killed. "So far 16 dead bodies and six injured miners have been recovered from the mine," he said. In another incident, at least nine miners were trapped in a mine of Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) near Quetta, an official said. He said the rescue workers recovered two dead bodies and two injured miners, while efforts were on to recover another five workers who remain trapped. Mining is considered highly dangerous in Pakistan where dozens of miners die each year due to lack of modern mining facilities, training and equipment. According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation (PCMLF), about 100 to 200 labourers die on average in coal mine accidents every year. Last month, at least 11 miners died in two separate mining incidents in Darra Adam Khel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Jhelum district of Punjab.

18 miners killed, several injured as two coal mines collapse in Balochistan

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