Andhra to airlift victims of bus accident in Maharashtra

Andhra Pradesh government is making arrangements to airlift bodies of eight people and 13 others injured in a road accident in Maharashtra early Tuesday.

A special aircraft will carry the bodies of the victims and 13 injured from Sholapur in Maharashtra to Gannavaram airport near Vijayawada, officials said. The aircraft is likely to land at 2.30 p.m.

The bodies will then be sent to Machilipatnam by road. Two critically injured were admitted to a hospital in Sholapur.

A private bus carrying the pilgrims from Andhra fell in a rivulet between Pandharpur and Shirdi. The dead include six women.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his shock over the accident. He directed the officials to launch rescue and relief operations in coordination with their Maharashtra counterparts.

According to an official release, the chief minister asked the chief secretary to arrange a special aircraft to bring bodies and the injured, who hail from Krishna district of coastal Andhra.

The bus was carrying 51 passengers, who were returning after pilgrimage to Shirdi and other holy places. They had left Sep 29.