At least 16 people are dead including schoolchildren after a bus fell off a cliff in a horror crash in India.
It's thought that another 25 people have been injured after the private bus tumbled over a cliff in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India and fell into a deep gorge.
The injured have been rushed to hospital for treatment, according to local journalists.
The bus was carrying 45 passengers at the time of the incident, reports say.
The private bus was transporting students and local commuters at around 8am local time.
TV9 Editor Aditya Raj Kaul tweeted: "Terrible news. Over 16 killed including school children and 25 injured as a private bus rolled off a cliff in Jangla area of Sainj valley on Neoli-Shansher road of Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Injured are being shifted to local hospitals, rescue teams from Kullu at spot."
The Times of India reported that several bodies have already been recovered from the crash site.
The driver - who was taking most of the passengers to nearby Sainj - lost control of the vehicle before it rolled down the sheer hillside, the outlet said.
As it plunged down the gorge, the bus flipped over several times and landed on its roof - leaving several passengers trapped in the wreckage.
Though post-mortems are still to be carried out, local media say the victims were crushed to death in the fall.
Gurdev Sharma, the area's police senior superintendent, said police, ambulances and other officials rushed to the site where locals were helping to save the injured from the wreckage.
Sources told the TOI that some of the victims had a miraculous escape.
An hour ago, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted about the "heart-rending" tragedy.
He said: "The bus accident in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh is heart-rending. In this tragic hour my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected."
Other officials echoed words of support for the victims' families.
Chief Minister of Rajahstan Ashok Gehlot said: "Deeply saddened to know many people have lost lives in an accident in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they remain strong to bear this loss. Prayers for speedy recovery of those injured."
In January, a man left paralysed after a horror crash in India was able to walk again after taking the Covid jab.
Dularchand Munda, 55, seriously hurt his spine in a car crash which left him bedridden and unable to speak.
He shocked medics by walking and talking - and says it is thanks to the ‘miracle’ Covid vaccine.
But hours after being given the vaccine he said he could feel his legs moving again and even managed to walk around, with the help of a walking stick.
In another apparent ‘miracle’, he has been able to talk for the first time since the accident, NDTV reported.
Dularchand, from Salgadih village, India, said: “Glad to have taken this vaccine. I can move my legs after taking the vaccine on January 4.
“My voice came back and my feet also moved.”
