Around 22 people(18 passengers, two drivers and two conductors) are missing after a British-era bridge across the Savitri River on the Mumbai-Goa highway collapsed late on Tuesday night.

Officials of the district administration and police rushed to the spot and restored traffic through a new bridge not far away. Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising of about 80 personnel including divers, have been pressed into rescue operations. Heavy rain in the area are slowing the rescue operations down.

A helicopter of the Coast Guard is presently being used to spot possible survivors.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and offered his support.

The State transport department has appealed to the relatives of missing passengers to contact on helpline number (02141) 222118 and toll free nunber 1077.