Himachal bus toll rises to 39

Shimla :The number of dead has risen to 39 after an overcrowded bus fell into the icy Beas river in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu valley , police said Thursday.

 “39 bodies have been recovered and all have been identified . Some more could still be missing ,”said R S Negi , Mandi district police chief .

 Seven of the injured are said to be serious. Seventeen of the dead are women and three children .

 The accident spot is located some 250 km from the state capital Shimla.

 The overcrowded bus was carrying locals and fell into the Beas river some 15 km from the popular resort town of Kullu.

 “The driver jumped out of the bus and the police is on the look out for him,”Negi said .

 Some say the driver was talking on his mobile phone when the accident took place .