300-kg magnet being used to trace missing buses in river after Mumbai-Goa Highway bridge collapse

According to media reports,  only three bodies have so far been recovered with that of a bus driver being the latest to be fished out on Thursday morning.

The body of SS Kamle was found 100 km downstream from the collapsed bridge. . He was identified by his ID badge.

According to a report by  Hindustan Times, a second body, that of a woman, was found at Harihareshwar beach, about 60 kilometers from Mahad. Authorities, however, are trying to ascertain if the body is from the bridge collapse.

A third body, also of a woman, was found at Kemburli.

Two state-run buses with 22 people and three cars were swept away when the 50-foot British era  bridge built in the 1940s crashed following days of continuous downpour  in Mahad in Raigad district, about 170 km from Mumbai.

Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Navy have been engaged to comb about the river looking for the missing vehicles. The HT report quoted NDRF as sahing that the  massive magnet being used to trace metal bodies in the river may have found something as it become stationary underwater. Teams are waiting to pull out the 300 kg magnet using a crane.

Teams of rescuers, including navy divers, have been searching the river using a chopper, aircraft and inflatable dinghies but they have been severely challenged by the strong currents, the report said.

On Wednesday, even elite marine commandos or MARCOS found the current too strong to risk diving into the river.

The Maharashtra government had declared the bridge safe just two months ago.

Traffic has been diverted to the new parallel bridge.