Almora, Dec 30 : At least six people were killed after a bus carrying around 18 passengers lost control and plunged into a deep ravine on the Bhikiyasain-Vinayak road in Uttarakhand's Almora district on Tuesday morning, officials said.

According to official sources, the accident took place near Shilapani on the Bhikiyasain-Vinayak-Jalali motor road. The bus was travelling from Bhikiyasain to Ramnagar and had departed from Dwarahat at around 6 a.m.

While en route, the bus reportedly went out of control and fell into a deep gorge. Six passengers were declared dead on the spot, officials confirmed.

It is believed that around 17 to 18 people were on board the bus at the time of the accident. Several passengers sustained injuries and have been admitted to the nearest government hospital in Bhikiyasain for treatment.

After receiving information about the mishap, teams from the police, district administration and the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) rushed to the accident site.

Rescue operations are currently underway, and authorities have expressed apprehension that some passengers may still be trapped inside the vehicle.

Senior district officials have also left for the spot to oversee the rescue work.

The accident location is situated nearly 100 kilometres away from the district headquarters, posing additional challenges for relief operations.

Officials said that the driver and the conductor of the bus are safe and in stable condition.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep grief over the tragic incident and said that rescue and relief efforts were being carried out on a priority basis.

"I have received the extremely distressing news of a bus accident on the Bikhiyasain-Vinayak Motor Road, which was en route from Bikhiyasain to Ramnagar in Almora district, resulting in casualties among the passengers. This incident is profoundly painful and heart-wrenching," the Chief Minister said in a post on X.

"We pray to God to grant eternal peace to the souls of the departed at His divine feet and provide strength to the bereaved families to endure this immense sorrow," he said, while also wishing a speedy recovery for those injured.

"The injured passengers in the accident are being promptly admitted to nearby hospitals by the district administration. The seriously injured have been referred to advanced medical centres for better treatment. The entire matter is under continuous monitoring, and I am in constant contact with the local administrative authorities," CM Dhami said.

/IANS