Daijiworld Media Network - Coimbatore

Coimbatore, Apr 17: Nine people were killed and four others, including the driver, were critically injured after a tourist van from Kerala plunged into a gorge in the Valparai hills of Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district on Friday.

The victims were part of a 13-member group from Malappuram district in Kerala. The accident occurred while the vehicle was descending the Valparai–Pollachi hill road, when it reportedly lost control at the 13th hairpin bend, crashed into a barrier and rolled down a deep gorge.

According to police, eight persons died on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries at the Pollachi Government Hospital. The deceased included seven women and one man, while the driver remains in critical condition.

Preliminary reports suggest that some of the victims were school teachers from Malappuram who were returning after a trip to Valparai. Visuals from the scene showed the vehicle completely mangled.

Rescue operations were carried out by police and fire services personnel, who retrieved bodies from the gorge and rushed the injured to hospital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of the victims. He also wished a speedy recovery for those injured.

Police said an investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of the accident.