Gangtok (Sikkim) [India], May 30 : At least one person died and eight others reportedly went missing after a tourist vehicle carrying 11 people, including 10 tourists and a driver, plunged nearly 1,000 feet into the Teesta River between Chungthang and Munshithang in North Sikkim on Thursday evening, said sources.
According to the initial report, two critically injured individuals were rescued from the accident site and shifted to Chungthang for medical treatment.
Superintendent of Police, Mangan District, Sonam Dechu Bhutia, stated that the incident occurred around 8 PM. He confirmed that one body has been recovered while the search continues for the remaining eight persons.
Rescue teams from the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sikkim Police, the district administration, and local volunteers are involved in the search and rescue operation.
The two survivors have been admitted to Mangan District Hospital. Their condition is critical, officials said.
The tourists were reportedly from West Bengal and other parts of the country. Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims as official procedures and family notifications are still underway.
The search efforts are being carried out under challenging weather and terrain conditions. The Teesta River is reportedly swollen.
Further details are awaited.