RATNAGIRI, India (CBS) -- More than 30 people were feared dead and several others injured or missing as a bus falls off a bridge into a river in western India on Tuesday (March 19).
The bus which was arriving from the western coastal state of Goa and heading towards the showbiz capital of Mumbai veered of the bridge and fell into a river while carrying more than 60 passengers, local media said.
Upon reaching the bridge over Jagbudi River near Khed in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra state, the driver lost control of the vehicle and the bus plunged headlong towards a dry patch of the river landing upside down.
Several bodies were mangled beyond recognition by the impact of the accident causing delay in the identification of victims.
Cranes were brought on to the bridge to assist in the rescue operations by pulling out the bus from the river.
Rescue workers also assisted by extricating the bodies from the wreckage with the help of some locals.
Search operations for the missing passengers were underway and police officials said that some people might have jumped from the bus into the river.
Road accidents are common in India, where roads are often of poor quality. Reckless driving and untrained drivers cause thousands of accidents a year, according to the reports of transport department.
Negligent and rash driving, driving under the influence of intoxicants, bad roads are just a few reasons for the numerous accidents that plague India's roads every year bringing the death toll into double digits with ease.