Official says vehicle fell into a canal in Karnataka state after driver lost control

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

At least 25 people were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India, an official has said. Many of the victims were reportedly schoolchildren.

Dr G Parameshwara, the Karnataka state deputy chief minister, said the accident occurred on Saturday in the Mandya district, as the driver lost control of the vehicle at high speed.

Parameshwara said a rescue operation was under way, with police rushing divers to the spot. The area is 65 miles (105km) south-west of Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka state.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported that many of the dead were children who were returning from school.

About 150,000 people die every year on India’s roads, often because of reckless driving, badly maintained roads and vehicles overcrowded with passengers.