A tragic bus accident took place in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district on Thursday morning, resulting in the deaths of at least two Char Dham pilgrims and leaving ten others missing. The bus, a 31-seater bearing registration number UK08 PA 7444, was en route to Badrinath Dham, one of the four holy sites in the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. It was carrying 20 passengers, including the driver, mainly from Udaipur (Rajasthan) and Gujarat.

According to preliminary reports, the vehicle was climbing uphill from Rudraprayag towards Badrinath when it suddenly lost control and plunged into the Alaknanda river. The reason for the loss of control is yet to be officially confirmed. The accident site was in a mountainous region, which added to the complexity of rescue efforts.

Local police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) responded promptly to the incident. SDRF teams launched a rescue operation around 8 a.m. after receiving information about the accident. Rescue units from Agastyamuni, Ratoora, and Gauchar police stations were also dispatched. Some of the passengers were reportedly thrown out of the bus by the impact before it submerged in the river, allowing rescuers and local residents to pull them to safety.

So far, seven people have been rescued, including two children, two women, and three men. The injured were rushed to the district hospital in Rudraprayag for medical treatment. One body has also been recovered. The identities of the deceased have not yet been confirmed. SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi reported that rescue operations are still underway under extremely challenging conditions due to the strong current of the Alaknanda river.

The SDRF issued a statement detailing the ongoing operations, noting the treacherous terrain and rapid water flow as significant hurdles. Relief and rescue teams, including SDRF personnel, police officials, and local administration staff, are working in coordination at the site. Authorities are continuing to search for the remaining missing persons.

This bus accident comes just days after another tragedy in the same region. On June 15, a helicopter carrying Char Dham pilgrims crashed near Gaurikund, close to Kedarnath, resulting in the deaths of seven people. The crash was attributed to poor weather conditions.

The onset of the monsoon has significantly impacted transportation in Uttarakhand’s hilly regions. Helicopter services for the Char Dham yatra have been suspended, and several high-altitude zones have experienced landslides and shooting stones, further complicating travel and rescue operations. These events underscore the hazardous conditions faced by pilgrims and rescuers during the pilgrimage season in Uttarakhand.

Authorities have urged pilgrims to stay updated on weather conditions and follow official advisories during travel. Meanwhile, search operations continue in Rudraprayag, with hopes of locating the ten missing passengers and ensuring the safety of others still traveling in the region.