Local people watched as a chopper hovered over the raging river under bridge on Mumbai-Goa highway. (PTI)
Hours after a British-era bridge collapsed on the Mumbai-Goa highway following incessant rain, two aircraft, a chetak chopper and 80 rescuers and divers searched for vehicles believed to have fallen into the flooded river with dozens of people.
Nine bodies have been found. Two state-run buses with 13 people are missing after the bridge crashed late last night around 11.30 pm. Four private cars are also believed to have fallen.
A crowd of local people holding umbrellas watched as a chopper sent by the Coast Guard hovered over the raging river, a rescuer dangling from it.
The 50-foot bridge, built more than seven decades ago in Mahad town, crashed around 11.30 pm.
Along with the two Sea King aircraft also searching for debris, there have been at least four sorties since morning.
Eight Navy divers rushed towards the collapsed bridge, which was built in the 1940. Large chunks of the bridge have fallen into the river.
Buses and private cars are believed to have plunged into the flooded river with dozens of people.
Navy teams on inflatable dinghies negotiated strong currents to get to the bridge.
Around 80 rescuers and divers are at the spot, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) says. This will increase to almost 200 personnel in a few hours.
Chopper flying over the raging river under the bridge on Mumbai-Goa highway.
"Each team consist of 40 people and there are four teams. We will start from the bridge and move 10 meters by clearing the area with the help of divers," said Anupam Shrivastava of the disaster management body.
The 50-foot bridge was built more than seven decades ago in Mahad town, and lies along the highway connecting Mumbai to the popular holiday destination Goa.