3 Die After GPS Leads Car Off Incomplete Bridge In India
The victims' car plunged 15m into the riverbed below.
Three men died when their car plunged off an incomplete bridge in Uttar Pradesh, India, in the early hours of Sunday, 24 November
According to The Times of India, local police said the three men were using Google Maps to navigate from Gurugram to Bareilly when the incident occurred.
Unaware that the bridge over the Ramganga River was incomplete, the victims drove off the bridge and plunged 15m into the riverbed below.
As the accident occurred in the dark, locals from the nearby Allapur village only spotted the car early on Sunday morning and alerted the police.
Image via The Times of India
All three men were declared dead at the scene
The victims were identified as Nitin Kumar, 30, and his cousins, Ajit Kumar, 35, and Amit Kumar, 30, reported The Economic Times.
It is said they were travelling together to attend a wedding in Bareilly.
A local police officer said the portion of the bridge had been damaged during a flood earlier this year, but the change was not reflected on the navigation app.
He added that there were no safety barriers or warning signs on the bridge.
Image via Surya Reddy/The Hindustan Times
The incident has caused outrage among the victims' families, who are blaming the Public Works Department and the authorities for failing to address the hazard
"The officials must be held accountable for this negligence. Why was the bridge left incomplete and why were there no safety measures in place?" one of the victims' relatives told The Hindustan Times, adding that a formal investigation is needed.
It is reported that four Public Works Department engineers and a Google Maps representative are assisting the police in investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, a Google spokesperson said in a statement, "Our deepest sympathies go out to the families. We're working closely with the authorities and providing our support to investigate the issue."
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