Sanvordem (Goa): With the body of the boy who committed suicide at Sanvordem bridge before it collapsed being recovered, the death toll has rose to three in the mishap. The search and rescue operation still continues.

“The third dead body has been retrieved during the rescue operation. The body is that of a person who had committed suicide,” a senior police official said.

Around 50 people had fallen in the river yesterday when the bridge they were standing on to witness the rescue operation of a person who had committed suicide caved in.

Two bodies were recovered yesterday while 14 people were rescued after the accident. Many others had swam to the safety on their own.

The search and rescue operation which was called off yesterday at 3.30 am had resumed this morning at 7.30 a.m. While there was no breakthrough during the entire day, the third body was retrieved around 4.30 pm.

The divers from Indian Navy and Drishti Lifesaving Services, a private agency, today stopped the search, while the team from Pune based National Disaster Response Force arrived at the spot.

“The decision whether to continue the search or withdraw it would be decided after National Disaster Response Force assesses the situation,” South District Collector Swapnil Naik said.

He said that at present there are no bodies in the water near the accident site, while there is a possibility that they might have been swept away in the River.

EARLIER DURING THE DAY

Team TNV