Gangtok, May 30: Tragedy struck in North Sikkim on Thursday when a tourist vehicle carrying 11 people plunged nearly 1,000 feet into the Teesta River between Chungthang and Munshithang in Mangan district.
Among the 11 on board, including the driver, two critically injured passengers were rescued from the crash site and rushed to the Chungthang Primary Health Centre before being shifted to Mangan District Hospital for advanced care.
The Mangan Superintendent of Police confirmed that one body has been recovered. However, eight individuals remain unaccounted for as search and rescue operations continued through the night and into Friday. Teams from the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sikkim Police, and the Mangan District Administration are jointly carrying out the operation amid challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions.
The tourists were reportedly from West Bengal, Odisha, Tripura, and other parts of India. Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims, pending formal identification and notification of their families.
The cause of the accident is yet to be officially determined. The stretch between Chungthang and Munshithang, known for its winding mountain roads and steep cliffs, has seen several such incidents in the past.
Search and rescue teams remain on high alert as efforts continue to locate the missing passengers and retrieve the wreckage from the fast-flowing Teesta River.
