At least 20 people died and 21 others were hurt after a passenger bus overturned on the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district in Pakistan on Friday, media reports said.

According to Diamer district rescue officer Shoukat Riaz, the bus, which belonged to a private company, was travelling from Rawalpindi to Gilgit when the driver lost control near Gunar Farm, reported Dawn News.

The bus soon overturned and landed on the bank of the Indus River.

The injured have been shifted to Chilas Hospital, the rescue officer told Dawn News, adding that the number of injured was initially 35 but many succumbed to their injuries.

According to reports, three women were among the deceased.

Local resident Mohammad Zaman told Dawn.com that a large number of people had reached the hospital to donate blood for the injured.

He said local volunteers helped transfer the injured and bodies to the hospital.