Bus was travelling from Chaupal in Himachal Pradesh to Paonta Sahib, carrying around 32 passengers when the journey turned tragic near Kwanu on the Kuanu–Meens motor road in Uttarakhand’s Kalsi area

The bus plunged into a deep gorge while passing through the Dunga Bainsi stretch following which the rescue teams rushed to the spot as police and district authorities began operations

Himachal Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri ordered HRTC teams and senior officials to reach the accident site while Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami placed nearby medical centres on high alert ordering airlifting of the seriously injured

At least 10 people were also injured, including the bus driver. They were pulled out of the gorge with serious injuries, some unconscious and were later rushed to a hospital in Dehradun as rescuers raced against time 

Police begin an investigation into the crash, which is believed to have occurred while the bus was overtaking another vehicle

The officials said that a massive rescue and relief operation was launched at the spot and their focus remains on saving the injured and identifying the victims