5 tourists killed, 2 injured as car falls into gorge near Ooty

Five tourists were killed and two others rescued in an unconscious state after their car fell into a 500-foot gorge at Kalhatti, near this famous hill resort town, police said Wednesday.

The mishap was suspected to have occurred Tuesday and came to light only a day later.

The seven, hailing from Tuticorin, were reported missing since Tuesday afternoon after they set out on a sightseeing trip to Masinagudi, about 30 km from here, in the morning.

On being alerted by the staff of the hotel, where the tourists were staying, police carried out a search and based on mobile phone signals traced the car in the gorge near a hairpin bend.

Police said they found five people dead and the two others unconscious. One of the two had been hospitalised here, while the other was taken to Mysuru, they said.

The victims had arrived here on September 30.