A minibus carrying schoolchildren that plunged into a steep valley in northern India has killed at least 11 people and injured 29 others.
Wednesday morning, in Indian-controlled Kashmir, a minibus carrying around forty people was involved in an accident.
Army, police, and local residents have begun rescue efforts, according to local media reports.
There were nine fatalities at the scene and two further deaths at a hospital. PTI reported that officials claimed 29 of the injured were in serious condition, including six who were evacuated to a hospital in Jammu.
The bus, which was carrying a number of children, plunged around 75 meters (250 feet) down the gorge’s steep slope.
In a tweet, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that the relatives of victims would receive compensation of around $6,300 (or 500,000 rupees).
On Twitter, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu of India offered their condolences.
My thoughts are with everyone who has lost a loved one. Modi wished for a swift recovery for the injured.
In the Kashmir region last month, a bus carrying paramilitary personnel veered off a mountain route and plunged into a river, killing six and injuring scores.
On India’s roads, hundreds of thousands of people are killed or injured annually. The majority of roads are attributable to reckless driving, poor road maintenance, and outdated vehicles.
This is breaking news, and there will be more to come…