At least 16 killed and 20 hurt as bus packed with schoolkids plunges 1,000ft down a steep gorge | The Sun

AT LEAST 16 people have died and 20 are injured after an overloaded minibus packed with schoolkids plunged into a gorge in northern India.

The minibus was reportedly crammed far beyond capacity when it veered off the road and hurtled down into a deep ravine on Wednesday morning.

A police officer warned the death toll is likely to rise as a number of passengers are in a critical condition.

Most of the passengers were students at a nearby government school.

Among those killed were two boys aged five and 14, two teenage girls and a woman.

The horror accident took place at around 8.30am in Poonch district in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

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Police say the minibus was on its way to Poonch from Gali Maidan when it veered off the road and fell into a 100 feet-deep gorge.

The driver reportedly lost control of the bus before it rolled several hundred metres down the ravine in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Earlier, the death toll was recorded as 11, but five further passengers sadly passed away in hospital.

"The death toll is likely to go up in view of the critical injuries to 9 passengers," an officer said.

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A major rescue operation was launched after the accident, involving police, the army and locals.

The injured were evacuated to a district hospital in Poonch.

Local lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha expressed his grief at the tragic loss of life.

"Saddened by loss of lives due to a road accident in Sawjian, Poonch," he wrote on Twitter. "Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon."

He added that compensation of 5 lakh (£432k) would be given to the deceased's next of kin.

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