Car falls into Zuari river in Goa, 4 reported missing

Police officials say four people have been reported missing but they cannot ascertain if the same four were the occupants of the car until the vehicle is retrieved from under the water.

A car skid off the Zuari bridge and plunged into the Zuari River in Goa early Thursday, promoting the Goa police, fire services and divers from the Indian Navy to launch a search and rescue operation.

Police officials say four people have been reported missing but they cannot ascertain if the same four were the occupants of the car until the vehicle is retrieved from under the water.

Zuari Bridge:

According to the police, the vehicle was coming from Cortalim to Panaji at about 1 am. Police officials at the spot said the skid marks on the road indicated that the vehicle may have been driving at high speed. It broke the railing and fell into the river at night. Police officials said that the accident was reported by ‘an onlooker’.

The Zuari Bridge is an important connector between North and South Goa.

While the Goa Police and Fire Services reached the spot immediately, rescue operations picked up after daybreak. As rescue operations picked up on Thursday morning, oil bubbles also appeared on the surface of the water, said officials.

The Goa police along with a Coast Guard vessel, barges, fire and emergency services personnel launched a massive operation to locate the vehicle, but could not trace it in the night due to darkness, he said.

“The Indian Navy divers also joined the search and rescue operation this morning,” he official said.