30 bodies recovered from Maharashtra bus accident site, search ops called off

Authorities said that 30 people lost their lives as a bus carrying Dapoli Agriculture University students and teaching staff fell into a gorge in Raigad area near Mahabaleshwar.

At least 30 bodies have been recovered from the site of bus accident in Raigad’s Ambenali Ghat in Maharashtra. Authorities confirmed that the rescue and search operations, carried out under the supervision of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), were called off after the recovery of the bodies.

Earlier, it was feared that at least 33 people lost their lives as a bus carrying Dapoli Agriculture University students and teaching staff fell into a gorge in Raigad area near Mahabaleshwar.

The bus slipped off the road as it was passing through the mountainous region in Ambenali Ghat near Mahabaleshwar in the Raigad district and fell into a 250-300 feet deep gorge.

The bus was carrying 31 people who were going for a picnic when the mishap took place. NDRF teams carried out the relief and rescue work. The incident had occurred around 12.30 pm on Saturday.

On Saturday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the family of those who died in the accident. He had also said that the state government would take care of the medical expenses of those injured.

"Administration taking all efforts to provide required assistance. Senior officials and emergency management systems in place. My thoughts are with families who lost loved ones and prayers for speedy recovery of injured" Fadnavis had tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were among those who expressed grief at the loss of lives of people in the mishap. Prime Minister Modi had said, "Pained by the loss of lives due to a bus accident in Maharashtra's Raigad district. My condolences to those who lost their loved ones."

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had also taken to Twitter to express grief saying, "I'm sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Raigad, Maharashtra in which a large number of people have been killed and many others injured. I appeal to Congress party workers in the area to provide all possible assistance to the injured & families of those who have died."