Search and rescue teams have found 17 bodies in the Savitri river after a British-era bridge collapsed in Mahad, Raigad district, PTI reported. The bodies of 14 people – three women and 11 men – were found till Thursday night and were sent to a government rural hospital for autopsy and identification.
Members of the Indian Navy, the Coast Guard and the National Disaster Response Force are looking for the missing people who were travelling along the Mumbai-Goa route when the incident took place on the night of August 2.
Incessant rainfall leading to a constant rise in the river's water level has hampered rescue efforts. On Thursday, an NDRF boat reportedly capsized because of strong currents. Assistant Commandant of the 5th Battalion Pandit Ithape said, "The current was very strong. One of our drivers sustained injuries to his hand and knee."
Two state transport buses and a private car have been recorded lost in the bridge collapse. The local administration used a large crane requisitioned from the National Highways Authority of India and a 300 kg magnet for rescue operations. Additional Superintendent of Police, Raigad, Sanjay Patil said, “It has not been able to locate any vehicle but pulled out a pipe that was part of the collapsed bridge.”
Based on complaints, the local police reported 42 people as missing after the incident. Besides the three vehicles, a Honda City car, a two-wheeler and/or a three-wheeler are also believed to have been swept away by the strong river currents. However, the numbers have not been confirmed yet.
Earlier, the Maharashtra government ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.
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