Mahad bridge tragedy: Bodies recovered identified, sent to families

Raigad district officials on Friday said that 21 bodies, who fell victim to the Mahad bridge collapse, have been identified and sent to their families.

District Collector Sheetal Ugale told ANI that two Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) were among the vehicles washed away during the bridge collapse.

She said that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officers have been deployed and locals have also been roped in to carry out search and rescue operation.

"We have recovered 22 bodies out which 21 have been identified. We have informed their relatives and made proper arrangements to send the dead bodies to their families," she said.

"Search and rescue operation is underway on a large scale in which 103 NDRF men are there, local who are able swimmers and know about the river bank and Navy has been roped in to carry out search and rescue operation," she added.

She, however, acknowledged that strong water current and presence of crocodiles in the Savitri river is making difficult for the operation.

Earlier this week, the colonial-era bridge collapsed owing to incessant rains wherein nearly a dozen vehicles, including two State Transport buses travelling over the bridge, were have flown away with the water current.

The buses include one travelling between Jaigad-Mumbai and another Rajapur-Borivali.