KASUR: At least 13 passengers, including four women and a child, drowned when a passenger van plunged into a canal near Changa Manga on Saturday.

According to details shared by police, the van was heading towards Pattoki from Chhanga Manga when it skidded off a bridge near Waan Aadan due to tyre burst and fell into Balloki-Sulemanki Link Canal.

As a result, 13 persons, including eight men, four women and a child, drowned while 10 others were rescued. The rescued passengers were shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Pattoki, for treatment.

Police personnel and rescue teams immediately reached the site of the incident. Meanwhile, volunteers and passersby helped them shift the injured and dead to the hospital.

The bodies were moved to the local hospital for medico-legal formalities.

Pakistan has one of the world’s worst records for fatal traffic accidents, blamed on poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

In recent days, the country has witnessed a sharp rise in the number of such deadly accidents.