At least 39 people have died and 17 others injured after a bus slid off a Himalayan mountain road in India.

The 42-seater bus was on the way to southern Jammu city from Kishtwar town when it veered off the road and fell down a 200m slope in the mountainous region, Harvinder Singh, a civil administrator, said.

Some of the injured were in a critical condition and transported to nearby hospitals, Mr Singh added.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but police officer Sunil Gupta said the bus was overcrowded and speeding, adding an investigation had been launched.

Another police officer was quoted as saying the driver had “failed to navigate” a sharp bend in the road, by The Times of India.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “distressing” and offered his condolences to the victims’ families in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

He announced financial aid of 200,000 Indian Rupees (£1,936) to each of the victims’ families and 50,000 Indian Rupees (£484) for each of the injured.

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On Thursday morning, a moment of silence was held for the victims at the Constitution Club – a forum where politicians gather – in New Delhi, Jitendra Singh, an Indian minister, said.

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