New Delhi, India (BBN) - At least 21 people were killed when their bus swerved off a mountain road and fell into a gorge in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
The accident took place in Shimla district late on Tuesday, police said. The dead include 10 women and two children. Fifteen others were injured, the BBC reported.
Rescue workers struggled in the dark to recover 18 bodies from the wreckage.
Bus crashes are common in India and often caused by poorly maintained vehicles, overloading and bad driving.
More than 138,000 people died in road accidents in India in 2013, according to government figures.
Tuesday night's accident took place when the bus was on its way from Shimla to Svera Khad area, reports Baldev Chauhan from Shimla.
"The bus fell into a 1,000ft (300m) deep gorge. The cause of the accident is not known," senior police officer DW Negi said.
Last month, 13 tourists were killed when their bus fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh.
BBN/SSR/AD-30July14-1:44 pm (BST)