QUETTA: A Portuguese tourist was killed in a road accident on the RCD highway near Dalbandin town of Chagai district on Thursday.

       The victim, identified as Nuno Miguel Vilao Castanheria, 28, crossed into Pakistan from Iran on Wednesday evening on his motorbike.

       He was on his way to Quetta with two German tourists, Tony Pankraz Linder and Nikolas Lang, who were also travelling on their bikes. The riders were being escorted by Levies personnel when Mr Castanheria’s motorbike collided with a pickup truck. He lost his life on the spot, according to Chagai Deputy Commissioner Hassan Jan Baloch.

       The pickup’s driver and his helper were later arrested by Levies officials.

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       According to his travel documents, the Portuguese was travelling on a tourist visa. The Foreign Office in Islamabad was informed about the accident and the body was dispatched to Quetta for onward shifting to Islamabad and handing over to the Portuguese embassy.

       According to his website, Mr Castanheria was on a mission to travel to over 50 countries on his motorbike in the next two years.

       His trip ‘Mission Unplug’ started on May 21 from his native country Portugal. He rode through European and middle eastern countries and reached Iran in July. According to the trip itinerary on his website, Mr Castanheria had plans to travel to Pakistan’s northern areas and then cross into India from the Wagah border in Lahore.

       Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2023