Official says vehicle fell into a canal in Karnataka state after driver lost control

This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

At least 25 people were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India, an official has said. Many of the victims were reportedly schoolchildren.

Dr G Parameshwara, the Karnataka state deputy chief minister, said the accident occurred on Saturday in the Mandya district, as the driver lost control of the vehicle at high speed.

Parameshwara said a rescue operation was under way, with police rushing divers to the spot. The area is 65 miles (105km) south-west of Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka state.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported that many of the dead were children who were returning from school.

About 150,000 people die every year on India’s roads, often because of reckless driving, badly maintained roads and vehicles overcrowded with passengers.</s>At least 25 dead as bus falls into canal in southern India

BANGALORE, India (AP) — An official says at least 25 people were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India. Many of the victims reportedly were schoolchildren.

G. Parameshwaran, the Karnataka state deputy chief minister, says the accident occurred Saturday in Mandya district as the driver lost control of the vehicle while going at a high speed.

Parameshwaran said a rescue operation was underway, with police rushing divers to the spot. The area is 105 kilometers (65 miles) southwest of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka state.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported many of the dead were children who were returning from school.

Around 150,000 people die every year on India's roads, often because of reckless driving, badly maintained roads and vehicles overcrowded with passengers.</s>At least 25 dead as bus falls into canal in southern India

BANGALORE, India (AP) — At least 25 people, many of them schoolchildren, were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India on Saturday, an official and media reports said.

The accident occurred in Mandya district as the driver lost control of the vehicle while going at a high speed, said G. Parameshwaran, the Karnataka state deputy chief minister.

Parameshwaran said a rescue operation was underway, with police rushing divers to the spot. The area is 105 kilometers (65 miles) southwest of Bangalore, the state capital.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported that many of the dead were children who were returning from school.

The victims were unable to come out of the bus, which had fallen on its side, trapping the doors on the floor of the canal, the NDTV news channel said.

Around 150,000 people die every year on India's roads, often because of reckless driving, badly maintained roads and vehicles overcrowded with passengers.

Deadly bus accidents are common in the country. In July, 48 people were killed when a bus crashed into a gorge in Uttarakhand state.</s>BANGALORE, India (AP) - At least 25 people, many of them schoolchildren, were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India on Saturday, an official and media reports said.

The accident occurred in Mandya district as the driver lost control of the vehicle while going at a high speed, said G. Parameshwaran, the Karnataka state deputy chief minister.

Parameshwaran said a rescue operation was underway, with police rushing divers to the spot. The area is 105 kilometers (65 miles) southwest of Bangalore, the state capital.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported that many of the dead were children who were returning from school.

The victims were unable to come out of the bus, which had fallen on its side, trapping the doors on the floor of the canal, the NDTV news channel said.

Around 150,000 people die every year on India's roads, often because of reckless driving, badly maintained roads and vehicles overcrowded with passengers.

A crowd gathers around a bus that was retrieved after it fell into a canal in Mandya district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. At least 25 people, many of them schoolchildren, were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India on Saturday, an official and media reports said. (AP Photo/Madhusudhan Sr)

Deadly bus accidents are common in the country. In July, 48 people were killed when a bus crashed into a gorge in Uttarakhand state.

Relatives grieve as others gather around the body of a victim of a bus accident in Mandya district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. At least 25 people, many of them schoolchildren, were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India on Saturday, an official and media reports said. (AP Photo/Madhusudhan Sr)</s>At least 25 people died after the bus they were travelling in fell into a canal in Karnataka’s Mandya district on Saturday. The accident occurred in Kanganamaradi village of Pandavapura town.

A boy who managed to escape from the bus that eventually submerged in the VC canal is believed to be the only survivor, The Times of India reported.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said the driver may have not “been driving properly”, ANI reported. “I will find out, take some more inputs.” Parameshwara said.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has cancelled all his appointments in the district and is scheduled to visit the accident site. The chief minister is also considering postponing the state cinema award ceremony, his office tweeted.</s>At least 25 people were killed after a bus plunged into a canal in India.

The incident is believed to have happened in the Mandya district of Karnataka on Saturday.

Most of the victims are reported to be schoolchildren, according to local reports.

A boy who jumped from the vehicle is believed to be the only survivor and is said to be 'in a state of shock.'

Among the confirmed dead are a woman and a small child.

Images from the scene show how the bus was left fully submerged in the canal as locals and police vainly attempted to rescue victims.

The bodies of the dead were pulled from the water and were laid out on the banks of the canal.

Your opinion is valuable. Take this quick survey to help us improve the website and content

According to locals, the bus drove into the canal at around 12.25pm local time but it is not yet know what caused the crash.

Locals used rope to try to pull the bus out from the water and into a field.

"There is no clarity on the number of deaths as all those who were inside the bus have died," police said.

ALSO READ: Three people killed in Makueni road accident

Mandya is a town located 105km from the city of Bengalaru, located the south of the country.

We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.</s>BANGALORE, India (AP) — At least 25 people, many of them schoolchildren, were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India on Saturday, an official and media reports said. The accident…

BANGALORE, India (AP) — At least 25 people, many of them schoolchildren, were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India on Saturday, an official and media reports said.

The accident occurred in Mandya district as the driver lost control of the vehicle while going at a high speed, said G. Parameshwaran, the Karnataka state deputy chief minister.

Parameshwaran said a rescue operation was underway, with police rushing divers to the spot. The area is 105 kilometers (65 miles) southwest of Bangalore, the state capital.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported that many of the dead were children who were returning from school.

The victims were unable to come out of the bus, which had fallen on its side, trapping the doors on the floor of the canal, the NDTV news channel said.

Around 150,000 people die every year on India’s roads, often because of reckless driving, badly maintained roads and vehicles overcrowded with passengers.

Deadly bus accidents are common in the country. In July, 48 people were killed when a bus crashed into a gorge in Uttarakhand state.

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>Twenty five people died after a bus fell into a canal in south Karnataka this afternoon. Authorities fear the number of people who have died could be higher. Around 30 to 35 people were travelling in the private bus. Among the dead are women and a child.

The accident took place in Mandya, 105 km from Bengaluru.

The bus fell into the canal after the driver lost control, the police said. Many passengers could not escape from the bus as it fell to its side, trapping the doors on the floor of the canal. The bus soon submerged.

Farmers working in nearby fields started rescue work immediately and rescued a few passengers.

Visuals from the site of the accident showed locals using ropes to try and pull the bus out from the water body. The bodies of the victims were pulled out and laid out on the ground.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy instructed the minister in charge of Mandya and the district collector to reach the site as soon as possible and start relief operation.</s>IMAGE: People carry out rescue work after a bus fell into a canal in Mandya district in Karnataka.

A private bus carrying passengers, mostly schoolchildren, fell into a canal in Karnataka's Mandya district on Saturday, killing at least 25 people, police said.

The bus completely submerged after falling into VC canal at Kanakanamaradi of Pandavapura taluka, they said, adding bodies of 23 victims was fished out.

Most of the killed were children, police sources said, adding they were returning home after a half-day at school.

Long wails from the grief-stricken inconsolable kin of the victims followed as the rescue teams fished out bodies one after another.

The district authorities roped in a crane to bring out the bus from the canal.

Police had a difficult time controlling the crowd as people living nearby thronged the accident site. Locals said they rescued three people even before the police reached the spot.

"I just came to know that a bus has fallen in a canal and 25 people have died. That is the latest report," said deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, expressing grief over the tragedy.

Cancelling all his official engagements, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy rushed to the spot where rescue operations were on in full swing.</s>According to the information given by the police officials, in an accident that took place in Karnataka’s Mandya district killed at least 25 people when a private bus they were travelling in fell into a canal.

“The mishap occurred around noon at Kanaganamaradi village near Pandavapura town, as the bus skidded off the bridge and fell into the Cauvery river canal,” a Mandya police control room official told media over phone.

“Divers retrieved the bodies of 25 passengers from the bus before it was fished out of the canal. A rescue operation is underway to search for the remaining victims,” the official said.

The accident spot is about 120 km from Bengaluru on the state highway towards Mysuru after Mandya town.

According to a witness, the speeding bus was on way to Mandya from Pandavapura when the driver apparently lost control of the wheel, resulting in the bus veering off the bridge and falling into the 20-feet deep canal.

Vehicular traffic on the state highway was disrupted and rescue work affected, as hundreds of people from the surrounding areas thronged the mishap spot to see the bus plunged into the canal.

A few students were among the victims as they were returning home from schools and colleges which had a half-day being Saturday.

State Transport Minister D.C. Thammanna and district in-charge C.S. Puttarajau have rushed to the accident spot with district Deputy Commissioner N. Manjushri and district Superintendent of Police S.P. Devaraj.-IANS
A bus crash in Karnataka, India, leaves at least 25 people dead as the vehicle sinks into a canal.