Visakhapatnam: Twenty-two people died, including nine women and six children after the van they were traveling in falls in the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh in Saturday.According to police information, the driver lost control of the wheel due to excess speed. The vehicle hit the road divider and fell into the river from the bridge. Police said 22 people were killed in place as a girl, was rescued and shifted to hospital Rajahmundry, died a few hours later. The lone surviving child Kiran 13, is being treated in hospital. His condition is said to be critical. There were 23 people in the vehicle when it met with the accident. Dozens of people rushed to the scene to take rescue operation, but the occupants were dead by then. Rajahmundry on the Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh This early this morning.
Eight women and seven children were among the victims. Only a 12-year-old, survived the accident and is admitted to the hospital.
The van, carrying pilgrims returning from Tirupati. 25-30 feet sank in the flood Dowleswaram in the early hours.
A police officer at the scene said, “a group of people returning from Tirupati after visiting the temple. The driver appeared to have lost control and hit a wall of the bridge and fell into the river Gaodavari.”
However, the water level at the point of accident was very superficial, he added.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic death of 21 people traveling in a van after it fell from Dowleswaram bridge. I am monitoring the situation. The boy, a lone survivor, are being treated. I talked to our interior minister who visited the place. We’re providing all possible assistance, (sic), “said chief N Chandrababu Naidu Andhra Pradesh in a series of tweets minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “The loss of life due to a bus accident in the district of East Godavari, AP is sad and unfortunate. My deepest condolences. (Sic)”
