33 people were feared killed and one injured after a private bus plunged into a 500 feet gorge in the mountainous section of Poladpur in Raigad district of Maharashtra on Saturday.
Inclement weather is impeding rescue efforts.
According to the authorities, 34 people, including two drivers, were travelling in the 40-seater bus. All the passengers were staff members of the Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth (BSKKV) in Dapoli.
The tragedy occurred sometime after 9 a.m. at the Ambenali Ghat near Poladpur when the bus slid off the mountainous road and fell into the gorge.
A superintendent of the varsity, Prakash Sawant-Desai, managed to climb up and give information about the tragedy. He is undergoing treatment at a local hospital in Poladpur.
The group from Dapoli before the accident.
“Each year, our clerical staff members head for a picnic to Mahabaleshwar. They had rented the varsity bus. University authorities were alerted about the tragedy after receiving a phone call at 10: 30 a.m. saying that the bus had fallen into a gorge. One of the superintendents, Prakash Sawant-Desai, showed great courage and he managed to climb all the way up and give news about the mishap,” Sanjay Bhave, Director of Extension Education, BSKKV, told The Hindu .
Ambulance teams have been sent from Mahabaleshwar to the accident spot.
“Rescue teams, aided by locals and groups of trekkers, are already engaged in operations on a warfooting. Five rescue teams are presently engaged in the operation,” said Raigad District Collector Vijay Suryawanshi, adding that an NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) team had been dispatched from Pune.
“Fog and rains are the major obstacles in rescue operations. We have sent a team from Pune with all the necessary rescue materiel,” said Sachidanand Gawade, Deputy Commandant, NDRF, Pune.
