Nainital, Dec 25: In a tragic accident, three people were killed and several others injured as a bus carrying 27 people plunged into a 1,500-feet-deep gorge on the Bhimtal-Ranibagh road in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district on Wednesday.

The bus was en route from Almora to Haldwani when the incident occurred on the Ranibagh road.

Rescue operations were initiated immediately by the police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the fire department, with significant assistance from locals. However, the steep terrain has made the efforts challenging.

Using ropes, the rescuers and locals carefully aided the injured, carrying them on their shoulders to safety.

The injured were provided first aid before being rushed to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Bhimtal. Fifteen ambulances have been dispatched to Haldwani for further medical assistance.

As of now, 24 passengers have been rescued, and operations are still underway to ensure no one is left behind.

Videos of the incident show the bus was shattered on impact.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the accident and directed the local administration to ensure immediate relief and rescue operations.

Taking to social media platform X, Chief Minister Dhami stated, “The news of the bus accident near Bhimtal is very saddening. The local administration has been directed to carry out immediate relief and rescue operations. I pray to Baba Kedar for the safety of all the travellers.”

Further updates on the incident and the condition of the injured are awaited as rescue efforts continue.

Last month, in a similar incident, at least 20 passengers lost their lives when the bus they were travelling in, was careened off the road and fell into a 200-metre-deep gorge in Almora district.

Among the victims were several children, heightening the tragedy of the incident.

The bus, transporting passengers from Garhwal to Kumaon, was reportedly overloaded at the time of the accident.

Jaipur, Dec 25: Three more individuals, including a severely burnt woman, succumbed to their injuries on Wednesday at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, taking the death in the Jaipur LPG tanker blast to 18.

Vijayata (22), a resident of Pratapgarh, passed away at around 4 a.m., and Vijendra (36) from Pawta (Jaipur) died at around 9:30 a.m. Later, Banshilal (35) also succumbed to his injuries at 1 p.m. Vijay and Vijendra had suffered 70 per cent burns. All three were Rajasthan natives, said officials.

Currently, 15 patients with severe burns are receiving treatment in the burn ward of the SMS Hospital.

The bodies of the deceased have been placed in the hospital mortuary and will be handed over to their families after post-mortem examinations conducted by a medical board. On Tuesday, two more victims, Naresh Babu from Etah (Uttar Pradesh) and Yusuf from Nuh (Haryana), passed away.

Dr Rakesh Jain, a plastic surgeon at SMS Hospital, confirmed that a total of 18 people have died so far. Following the deaths of two individuals on Tuesday, three more fatalities were reported on Wednesday– two in the morning and one in the afternoon. Among the victims were two men and a woman, he added.

One critically injured patient is currently on a ventilator, while 15 others remain under treatment. Additionally, five patients have been discharged — three on Monday and two on Tuesday, he said.

The accident occurred near Bhankrota on the Jaipur-Ajmer Highway on December 20 in which four people were burned alive on the spot, while eight others died the same day during treatment at SMS Hospital. One death was reported at Jaipuria Hospital.

On Tuesday, police interrogated Jaiveer Singh, the driver of the LPG tanker involved in the accident. He revealed that the incident occurred when he made a U-turn to access the ring road at 5.44 a.m. A truck collided with his tanker from behind, leading to the blast. The police have also summoned Anil, the truck owner and a resident of Delhi, for questioning.

Jaiveer Singh recounted that he was alone in the tanker at the time of the accident. After realising the severity of the situation, he fled immediately. The gas leak ignited, creating a massive “ball of fire” that spread across the road. Singh managed to reach the ring road and informed the truck owner, Anil Kumar, about the incident before switching off his phone.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the blast and the circumstances surrounding this devastating incident.

Aktau (Kazakhstan), Dec 25: A passenger plane carrying over 100 people crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, according to reports from the country’s Emergencies Ministry.

Local media outlet Kazpravda.kz reported that the crash caused a fire at the site.

“A total of 52 rescuers from the Kazakh Emergencies Ministry and 11 pieces of equipment arrived at the scene. Upon arrival, they found the plane engulfed in flames. Firefighters are currently working to extinguish the blaze. Preliminary data suggests there are survivors,” the Ministry stated.

Initial reports indicate that at least 105 passengers and five crew members were on board. While the exact toll remains unclear, at least 25 survivors have been reported, with 22 hospitalised.

Rescue operations are ongoing, and details about the victims are being verified.

The plane, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190, was flying from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya. It was rerouted to Aktau due to dense fog.

Online flight tracking website FlightRadar24 data shows the plane flying over the Caspian Sea and heading towards its destination, in Chechnya. As the plane entered Russia’s territorial borders, it started circling near the airport. Following this, it requested an emergency landing.

At 6:28 am local time, the plane crashed a few kilometres away from the airport.

According to FlightRadar24, the plane was exposed to “strong GPS jamming, which made the aircraft transmit bad ADS-B data.” Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.

Unverified videos circulating on social media show the moment the plane crashed, bursting into flames, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky.

An operational headquarters has been established at the Command Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, with a hotline made available for inquiries.

Further updates on the incident are awaited.