At least 25 people travelling as part of a wedding party have died after a bus plunged into a gorge after leaving the road in northern India.

Police told the Press Trust of India news agency there were 45 to 50 people on board the bus when it fell into the ravine in Pauri district in Uttarakhand state on Tuesday evening.

State police and the disaster response force worked alongside locals to rescue 21 people at the site of the crash, police chief Ashok Kumar tweeted.

Vijay Kumar Jogdande, a senior government officer, said they would be carrying out an investigation into the incident and will conduct post mortem examinations after retrieving the bodies from the site.

Officials were seen clearing the area of bushes and trees to help with the rescue operation as they pulled up an injured person.

Rescuers also retrieved a dead body using ropes, before they were taken away on a stretcher.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said all possible assistance will be given to those affected.

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“In this tragic hour my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those who have been injured recover at the earliest,” he tweeted.

Deadly road accidents are common in India due to reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.

More than 110,000 people are killed every year in road accidents across India, according to police.

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