Bus plunges into India river, 15 killed and 8 missing

NEW DELHI – A bus plunged nearly 380 feet into a river in mountainous northern India on Tuesday, killing at least 15 Hindu pilgrims and injuring another seven people, police said.

Rescuers recovered 15 bodies and are searching for another eight people, said Police officer Nand Lal. Seven people with injuries were hospitalized.

The cause of the accident in Uttarakhand state was not immediately known. The area is nearly 250 miles northeast of New Delhi.

Uttarakhand state is a popular summer vacation destination for tourists seeking to escape the torrid heat of India’s plains. It is also a religious pilgrimage site with four temple towns in the Garhwal Himalayan range.

More than 110,000 people are killed annually on India’s roads. Most crashes are attributed to reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.