At least 11 killed and 29 injured after overcrowded school bus plunges 250ft down steep gorge in India
- Nearly 40 people, including a number of students, were crammed into minibus
- Bus veered off the road and plunged 250ft down gorge near village in Kashmir
- Nine people were killed on the spot and two others died later in hospital
- At least 29 people were injured and they are in critical condition following crash
At least 11 people have been killed and 29 injured after an overcrowded minibus carrying school children plunged down a steep gorge in northern India.
Nearly 40 people were crammed into the minibus, which was carrying a number of students, when the accident occurred in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday morning.
The bus veered off the road plunged about 250 feet down a steep gorge near the village of Sawjian in Jammu’s Poonch district.
Nine people were killed on the spot and two others died later in hospital. Officials said the 29 injured people were in a critical condition, including six who were airlifted to a hospital in Jammu, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
At least 11 people have been killed and 29 injured after an overcrowded minibus carrying school children plunged down a steep gorge in northern India
Footage from the scene of the crash showed local villagers, police officers and soldiers rushing down the hillside to rescue the injured passengers from the bus, which had ended up on its side after rolling down the gorge
A passenger injured in a bus accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district is brought for treatment at a hospital in Jammu, India, on Wednesday
Footage from the scene of the crash showed local villagers, police officers and soldiers rushing down the hillside to rescue the injured passengers from the bus, which had ended up on its side after rolling down the gorge.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced in a tweet that compensation of 500,000 rupees (£5,447) would be given to victims’ families.
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, and president, Droupadi Murmu, both expressed their condolences on Twitter.
‘My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery,’ Modi wrote.
Nearly 40 people were crammed into the minibus, which was carrying a number of students, when the accident occurred in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday morning. Pictured: An injured passenger is rushed to hospital in Jammu on Wednesday
The bus veered off the road plunged about 250 feet down a steep gorge near the village of Sawjian in Jammu’s Poonch district
Nine people were killed on the spot and two others died later in hospital. Officials said the 29 injured people were in a critical condition, including six who were airlifted to a hospital in Jammu. Pictured: Locals and soldiers helped with the rescue efforts
Last month, a bus carrying paramilitary soldiers in the Kashmir region skidded off a mountainous road and rolled down into a river, killing six people and injuring dozens.
Hundreds of thousands of people are killed or injured annually on India’s roads. Most accidents are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow…
Source: Read Full Article
