Bus crash in Iran kills 28 Pakistani pilgrims en route to Iraq, 23 injured

Aug. 21, 2024, 5:13 a.m.

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A bus transporting Shiite pilgrims from Pakistan to Iraq was involved in a crash in central Iran, resulting in the death of at least 28 individuals, an official reported on Wednesday.

The collision occurred on Tuesday night in the Yazd province of central Iran, according to Mohammad Ali Malekzadeh, a local emergency official, as cited by the state-run IRNA news agency.

The crash also led to injuries for 23 people, 14 of whom sustained serious injuries. Malekzadeh confirmed that all passengers on the bus were from Pakistan.

The bus crash occurred outside the city of Taft, approximately 310 miles southeast of Tehran, the capital of Iran, with 51 passengers on board.

Iranian state television attributed the crash to brake failure and driver negligence.

In Pakistan, media reports quoted a local Shiite leader, Qamar Abbas, saying as many as 35 people had died in the crash. He described those on the bus as coming from the city of Larkana in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province. Pakistan’s government offered no immediate comment.

Iran holds one of the world’s most concerning traffic safety records, with an estimated 17,000 fatalities annually. This alarming figure is attributed to widespread disregard for traffic regulations, unsafe vehicles, and inadequate emergency services in its extensive rural regions.

The pilgrims had been on their way to Iraq to commemorate Arbaeen.

Arbaeen, which translates to '40' in Arabic, commemorates the death of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, at the hands of the Muslim Umayyad forces during the Battle of Karbala, a pivotal event in the early history of Islam. Hussein was regarded by his followers as the rightful successor to the prophet's legacy. His refusal to pledge allegiance to the Umayyad caliphate led to his demise in the battle, solidifying the division between Sunni and Shiite Islam.

Every year, millions of people gather in Karbala, Iraq, for a pilgrimage, making it the world's largest annual public gathering.

Advertisement In a separate incident, six people were killed and 18 injured in a bus crash in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province early Wednesday, according to authorities.