One dead, 2 injured, 8 missing as tourist vehicle plunges into Teesta river in North Sikkim

Gangtok: One person was killed, two injured and eight others missing when a vehicle carrying 11 tourists plunged into the Teesta river in North Sikkim's Mangan district, police said on Friday.

Initial reports suggest that the accident occurred on Thursday night when the vehicle was moving towards Lachung from Lachen. It plunged nearly 1,000 feet into the Teesta river, at a precarious turn on the mountainous route, a known accident-prone zone. As of now two critically injured persons have been rescued and one body recovered, they said.

Eight tourists are still missing, said Superintendent of Police, Mangan, Sonam Detchu Bhutia.

The injured have been brought to STNM Hospital in Gangtok for treatment. As of now, it is not confirmed from which area the tourists belonged, the police said.

Upon receiving the information, swift response teams comprising the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sikkim Police, and local administration rushed to the site and initiated late-night rescue operations under challenging terrain and weather conditions, they said.

Rescue efforts are going on as teams attempt to reach the crash site and trace the vehicle in the deep gorge. Divers and high-altitude rescue units have also been mobilised.

Details regarding the deceased, injured and the cause of the accident are still awaited. Authorities have cordoned off the area and requested tourists to avoid unnecessary travel along the route until further notice.