Bus falls into Kerala river

KOTTAYAM - A private bus carrying over 40 people, including many students, fell into the Meenachil river near this Kerala city Tuesday afternoon, eyewitnesses said. Some passengers swam to safety while some were rescued by locals.

The bus was going from Shertalai to Kottayam. The accident occurred three kilometres before Kottayam when, according to a survivor, the bus hit a pole and plunged in.

Eyewitnesses say the bus was crowded with more than 40 passengers and most of them were students who had boarded it from the tourist destination of Kumarakom. Police and fire personnel have reached the accident spot but the bus was fully submerged even half an hour after the incident.

Around seven people have been rescued so far.

Jyothilekshmi, a college student who was saved, said all the passengers were sitting at the time of the incident.

“The bus suddenly hit a post and fell into the river. As soon as the bus fell into the water, it sank and some of us somehow came to the top of the bus and swam. Then we were picked up by locals,” said Jyothilekshmi.

Local people, in large numbers, jumped into the river to save the passengers.