At least two children died and another child was critically injured when a van carrying about 25 school students plunged into a canal near here today, police said.
While most of the children were rescued by locals who gathered at the spot, two boys aged 10 and 14 died at a hospital.
The condition of most of the children, shifted to different hospitals, was stable, sources said.
Search and rescue operations by police and fire force personnel are continuing.
The mishap occurred at Channakankara, about 25 km from here, off a national highway, when the van was carrying the students back home through a narrow road along the banks of a branch canal of Parvathy Puthanar river.
The road had no sidewall. The exact cause of the accident was yet to be established but the van driver denied he was over speeding.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has rushed to the spot.
Eyewitnesses said a major tragedy was averted as local people, familiar with the canal, plunged into rescue work instantly and brought ashore most of the children within minutes.
While most of the children were rescued by locals who gathered at the spot, two boys aged 10 and 14 died at a hospital.
The condition of most of the children, shifted to different hospitals, was stable, sources said.
Search and rescue operations by police and fire force personnel are continuing.
The mishap occurred at Channakankara, about 25 km from here, off a national highway, when the van was carrying the students back home through a narrow road along the banks of a branch canal of Parvathy Puthanar river.
The road had no sidewall. The exact cause of the accident was yet to be established but the van driver denied he was over speeding.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has rushed to the spot.
Eyewitnesses said a major tragedy was averted as local people, familiar with the canal, plunged into rescue work instantly and brought ashore most of the children within minutes.
