Surat: An accident occurred on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai National Highway 48 near Kosamba when a luxury private bus carrying passengers slid off the road this morning around 5 a.m. The bus suddenly veered off the road, causing all the passengers, who were asleep, to fall. Hearing the commotion, other motorists stopped their vehicles, alerted the fire department and police, and provided assistance.

As soon as the incident was reported, an emergency team from the Surat Fire Department rushed to the scene. In the accident, part of the bus cabin collapsed, trapping two to three people inside. The fire department had to cut open the bus and expand the gaps to rescue 40 passengers.

After the accident, over 20 people were injured, with two in critical condition. Among them, 45-year-old Sandeep Ramdas Baviskar died during treatment at the Civil Hospital in Surat. Over 20 passengers are currently admitted to SMIMER Hospital, and around 7 are receiving treatment at the Civil Hospital. Authorities suspect the bus driver may have lost control, causing the vehicle to fall into the creek.

According to the fire department, the accident occurred at 5:10 a.m. The fire brigade received a call that a private luxury bus, belonging to Malani Travels, carrying 40 passengers, had fallen into the creek near the Kosamba Bridge. The Surat Fire Department immediately deployed teams to the site for rescue operations, saving all 40 passengers. Two passengers, however, were in critical condition.

Sub Fire Officer Vijay Tandel explained, “When the call came in, firemen rushed to the spot. The incident occurred while the passengers were sleeping, and many were trapped in the cabin. Some were trapped in the sofa when it collapsed.”

The bus driver was not found at the scene. It is suspected that the driver fled after the incident. Authorities believe the bus fell into the creek due to the driver’s error. The bus was traveling from Rajasthan to Mumbai. DeshGujarat