Children dead after van's Pakistan river plunge

A van carrying about 30 school children in Pakistan-held Kashmir plunged into a river and most of the pupils are missing and feared dead, police said.

Ghulam Akber said police rescued the driver and three injured children after today's accident in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-held Kashmir.

Authorities were trying to reach the van in the middle of the river to save the remaining children.

Mr Akber said the driver lost control of the van as he was driving along a road next to the Jhelum River, and the vehicle plunged into the water.

Mr Akber said later that 11 bodies had been recovered so far.

Pakistan's devastating floods which started in July did not appear to have been a factor in the crash.