NEW DELHI (AP) — At least 25 people were killed and more than a dozen injured after a bus plunged into a canyon in northern India, officials said.
Police told the Press Trust of India news agency that there were 45 to 50 people on board when the bus plunged into a gorge in the Pauri district of Uttarakhand on Tuesday night, all of whom were attending the wedding.
State police and disaster relief forces, along with locals, rescued 21 people at the crash site on Tuesday night, Police Chief Ashok Kumar said on Twitter.
Senior government official Vijay Kumar Jogdande said they would investigate the incident and conduct an autopsy after the body was retrieved from the scene.
Officers were seen clearing bushes and trees in the area to aid rescue operations while they pulled up an injured person. Rescuers also scooped up a body with ropes and carried it away on a stretcher.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said all possible aid would be provided to those affected.
“My thoughts are with bereaved families at this tragic time. I wish those injured a speedy recovery,” he tweeted on Wednesday.
Fatal road accidents are common in India due to reckless driving, poor road maintenance and aging vehicles. According to police, more than 110,000 people are killed in road accidents across India every year.