At least 5 killed as bus carrying 45 passengers rams truck on Gujarat's Vadodara-Halol Road; rescue operation underway

At least five people were killed and several others injured after a passenger bus carrying around 45 passengers collided with a truck in Gujarat's Vadodara district early Wednesday (Jun 17) morning, triggering a major rescue operation.

The accident took place near Kotambi village on the Vadodara-Halol Road, according to local authorities. Arvind Solanki, the sarpanch of Kotambi village, said the collision occurred in the early hours of the day and claimed five lives on the spot.

"Early this morning, there was an accident between a bus and a truck. There were 45 people inside the bus. But five people died on the spot. A team of NDRF and police came here. There were ten ambulances. Such accidents happen a lot, but this was a very serious accident," Solanki told ANI news agency.

Rescue efforts underway

The impact of the crash left multiple passengers trapped and prompted an immediate emergency response. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police personnel and local authorities rushed to the scene shortly after receiving information about the accident.

Around ten ambulances were deployed to transport the injured to nearby hospitals, where they are undergoing treatment. Officials have not yet released the exact number of people hurt in the collision or the identities of the deceased.

Visuals from the site showed rescue workers and emergency personnel clearing the wreckage while police cordoned off the area to facilitate relief operations.