Kullu bus tragedy: Govt turns to navy to trace missing pilgrims

Struggling to locate the 34 missing passengers of the Manikaran-bound bus that plunged into the Parvati river on July 23, the state government has turned to the navy for assistance using the sonar (sound, navigation and ranging) technology.

Struggling to locate the 34 missing passengers of the Manikaran-bound bus that plunged into the Parvati river on July 23, the state government has turned to the navy for assistance using the sonar (sound, navigation and ranging) technology.

"We have sent a request to deploy navy personnel equipped with sonar equipment to trace the missing pilgrims underwater, as the turbulent and muddy river water is a major hindrance in the search operation," Kullu additional district magistrate Vinay Singh Thakur said.

Meanwhile, 160 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Himachal Police and Home Guard are continuing to look for bodies on the 30km river stretch between the accident site near Sarsari village and Larji dam

So far, 12 bodies have been fished out from the river, while 34 pilgrims are missing. There were 69 passengers, all from Punjab, on board the bus.

On Wednesday, the search teams found some wreckage of the bus, 3 km downstream from the accident site, but could not trace any more victims.