Seven of a family killed, 14 hurt as coaster carrying picnickers overturns

In a tragic incident, seven people lost their lives and over a dozen others were injured on Sunday after a coaster lost control and overturned after collided with a sidewalk.

Rescue officials reported that the coaster was carrying a family to the Hawkesbay beach for a picnic when it met with an accident near the Gate No 6 of Mama Godown, Mauripur’s New Adda in Karachi.

While attempting to avoid a speeding trailer truck, the driver of the coaster lost control of the vehicle, as a result of which it veered off the road and overturned. Police said the coaster was carrying more than 30 members of a family from the Azizabad Bhangoriya Goth to Hawkesbay. A majority of the passengers were women and children. As a result of the accident, seven persons were killed and around 14 others were injured.

Police and rescue workers reached the scene and transported the casualties to the Civil Hospital, Karachi. Three children died on the spot and four others persons succumbed to their injuries on their way to hospital.

According to a spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation, three women and four children were among the deceased. They included 12-year-old Kinza, daughter of Ahmed; four-year-old Zeenat, daughter of Hayat, five-year-old Sakina, daughter of Manzur, 40-year-old Sadia, wife of Ahmed, 13-year-old Qadeer, son of Jabbar, Sughra, 49, daughter of Ghulam Ali, and an unidentified woman who appeared to be in her 40s.

The injured persons included Nighat, 35, daughter of Abdur Rasheed, Yasir, 17, son of Jabbar, Munazza, 22, daughter of Sikandar, Hunain, 11, son of Abdul Latif, Darya Naz, 15, son of Abdul Latif, Umer, 12, daughter of Manzur, Farida, 33, wife of Abdul Waheed, Zubaida, 45, wife of Ali, Faraz Alam, 18, son of Alam, Naseera, 45, wife of Shahdi, nine-year-old Abdul Wahab, son of Manzur Ahmed, Sania, 29, son of Naseer Khan, Sanobar, 17, son of Alam Khan, Sana, 18, daughter of Alam Khan and an unidentified youth. The trailer truck driver responsible for the accident fled the scene, but the vehicle was impounded by the police.