Bus falls into gorge in Raigad: All bodies recovered, search over

“The search operation by the NDRF and local trekkers is over. The total number of deaths in the accident is 30. There were 31 passengers in the bus, of which one jumped out and survived,” Raigad district collector Vijay Suryavanshi said.

“The earlier number of people believed to be traveling in the bus was 34, which was based on the survivor’s state who was in a state of shock. Also the number given by University officials was based those who enrolled last for the trip,” he said.

The passengers, all employees of Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Agriculture University, were on their way to Mahabaleshwar hill station in Satara district for a two-day trip.

The incident came to light after the lone survivor, Prakash Desai — the assistant office superintendent with the university — managed to jump out of the bus, climbed up the slope and called the police and another university employee from the cellphone of a passerby. The mishap had taken place around 10.30 am.

NRDF personnel assisting rescue efforts.

Suryavanshi said the driver’s attention may have been diverted when someone in the bus had cracked a joke. “A detailed investigation is being conducted. But according to information received from the survivor, the driver’s attention got diverted when a joke was cracked in the bus… and he lost control of the vehicle.” Suryavanshi had told Express on Saturday night.

While the initial search of the bodies was conducted by the local residents and groups of trekkers in the area, the National Disaster Response Force teams from Pune reached the spot around 7 pm in the evening. Fourteen bodies were taken out by the trekkers, 14 more were taken out by the NDRF teams till 12 noon, while the trekkers continued assisting them. The search operation was on throughout the night with the help of floodlights.

Anupam Srivastava, the Commandant with the Battalion of the NDRF said, “Till 12 noon am, a total of 28 bodies have been taken out.” NDRF officials on the site said that at least six of the bodies were found 50 feet down the slope from the point where the bus had stopped.