The two buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses were carrying 17 passengers, including two children, of which 12 have been identified. A family of five is among the victims.
As many as 29 people are feared dead as two buses and about a dozen private vehicles fell into swollen Savitri river after a British-era bridge collapsed on the Mumbai-Goa Highway near Mahad in Maharashtra's Raigad district.
The bridge, which is around 300 metres in length, collapsed around 11:30 pm on Tuesday. With heavy rains coupled with strong winds affecting the visibility, the speeding vehicles were unable to see the collapsed portion of the bridge in the pitch dark of the night and fell into the river, sources said.
The two buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses were carrying 17 passengers, including two children, of which 12 have been identified. A family of five is among the victims.
The search operations, which started with the first light, failed to recover anything in the raging river. Four teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), including 120 officers, two helicopters of the Navy and the Indian Coast Guard along with local river rafting teams, carried out the search and rescue operation till 7pm.
"We have asked Konkan Railway to set up floodlights on the bridge as we will be monitoring the waters all night long," said Deputy Commandant NDRF Pandit Ithape said, adding that heavy downpour has made the search operations difficult.
With the help of a crane, the officials have immersed 300 kgs industrial magnet using high tensil rope in the river so as to trace the missing vehicles.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who visited the spot, ordered an inquiry into the incident. "The inquiry will reveal if there were any lapses on the part of the administration while assessing the condition of bridge that collapsed," said the CM adding that the search would continue till all the missing are pulled out.
Fadnavis said the state government has also ordered structural audits of all colonial-era constructed bridges in Maharashtra.
Detailing on the search operation, superintendent of police, Raigad, Suvez Haque said, "Multiple agencies are conducting the rescue, 30 kms along the river flow. However, no vehicle has been found so far. He also rubbished reports of two bodies being recovered by local people.
Around 300 police personnel and 50-60 traffic constables were patrolling and managing the vehicular commute, which was shifted to the newly-constructed parallel bridge.
The Coast Guard has dispatched a Chetak helicopter for search sorties while a Seaking 42C all-weather aircraft with diving team is being launched by the Indian Navy, a defence spokesperson told reporters.
"Around 30 professional divers are combing the area in five boats and two kayaks. Special hooks and anchors have been used to detect the fallen vehicles," he said.
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