Eight tourists killed after vehicle falls into gorge in Maharashtra’s Raigad

At least eight people were killed after a tourist vehicle travelling from the Konkan region to Satara plunged into a deep valley in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on Monday, officials said.

The accident took place at Ambenali Ghat when the vehicle reportedly lost control and fell nearly 1,000–1,500 feet into a gorge in the hilly terrain, triggering a large-scale rescue operation.

Rescue teams said operations have been severely hampered due to the steep slopes, rocky terrain and the depth of the gorge. So far, two bodies have been recovered and sent for post-mortem, while efforts continue to locate the remaining victims.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the tragedy and confirmed that multiple rescue teams, including NDRF personnel, have been deployed.

“The tragic incident in which 8 people lost their lives in a fatal accident at Ambenali Ghat in Raigad district is extremely heartbreaking. I pay my heartfelt tribute to them,” Fadnavis said in a post on X.

He said the victims were travelling together when the vehicle plunged into the valley, adding that the bodies were scattered across difficult terrain.

“The district administration has formed five teams, each comprising seven personnel. Rescue efforts are being carried out on a war footing. So far, three bodies have been recovered,” he added.

Officials said teams from police, local administration, disaster response forces and voluntary groups are jointly conducting search and recovery operations using ropes and specialised mountaineering equipment.

The identities of the deceased are yet to be officially confirmed.

In a separate incident earlier in the day, six people were killed and 26 injured in a multi-vehicle crash on the Mumbai–Agra Highway in Dhule district, highlighting a tragic day of road accidents in Maharashtra.

The Dhule accident occurred at Laling Ghat when a dumper truck collided with another vehicle, followed by a passenger bus losing control and ramming into the crash site, officials said.

With IANS inputs