A bus bringing Pakistani pilgrims to Iraq collapsed in the central Iranian province of Yazd on Tuesday night, killing at least 28 people and injuring 23 others.
According to local media sources, the event occurred about 9:50 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday night in Dehshir village, Taft County.
The bus was en route to the Iran-Iraq border, transporting Pakistani passengers who wanted to participate the Arbaeen ceremonies.
Mohammad-Ali Malekzadeh, director general of the province crisis management agency, stated this today.
Malekzadeh further stated that 14 of those injured were in serious condition and were being treated at the province’s medical centres.
He stated that the province authorities were coordinating with the Iranian Foreign Ministry to transport those slain and wounded in the tragedy to Pakistan by plane.
Iran’s Traffic Police Chief Seyyed Teymour Hosseini commented on the cause, stating that preliminary investigations revealed that the tragedy was caused by a technical failure in the bus’s braking system.
He stated that traffic police experts were on the spot, conducting more investigations. Nasser Kanaani, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman, offered condolences over the deaths of Pakistani pilgrims, adding the tragedy “caused us deep sadness.
He stressed that Iran’s relevant organisations and authorities were serious about continuing rescue, service, and treatment efforts.
Arbaeen, which falls on August 25 this year, commemorates the 40th anniversary of Imam Hussein, Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, being martyred in the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D.
The annual Arbaeen pilgrimage, attended by millions of Shiite Muslims from many nations, entails an 80-kilometer trek from Najaf to Karbala in central Iraq, where Imam Hussein’s shrine is located.
In two car accidents in Iraq on Friday, two individuals were killed and 71 others were injured, most of whom were Iranians, according to Iraqi traffic police.
Bottom Line
The preliminary finding that a technical failure in the bus’s braking system caused the accident raises serious concerns about vehicle safety standards, particularly for buses that transport large numbers of people over long distances.
The Iranian authorities’ response, including immediate rescue operations and coordination with the Foreign Ministry to repatriate the victims, reflects a commitment to addressing the immediate aftermath.
However, this incident shows the need for stringent checks on vehicles and transportation services, especially those involved in high-stakes pilgrimages where the safety of many lives is at risk.
