Bodies of some victims in the Mahad bridge collapse accident were never to be found. But the navy divers spotted the wreckage of the two buses on Thursday, that has given fresh hopes.

Two buses were washed away in the Savitri River near Mahad after a British-era bridge collapsed on 2nd August.

a Defence spokesperson said,"After working 12-14 hours a day for the last 8 days, the Naval teams have located wreckage of the two buses submerged in water at Mahad”. He added, "the wreckage seem to be parts of buses and were found approximately 170 and 200 metres from the collapsed bridge."

Spot diving was successfully carried out despite presence of crocodiles, high current and tough conditions in the river.

The spokesperson said in a statement, "the NDRF teams are being informed and crane for recovery of the wreckage is being requested," .

But till Wednesday, the government admitted that hopes of finding bodies of victims were diminishing. According to a report, the Public Works Department Minister Chandrakant Patil admitted that the swift flowing river and crocodile hotbeds were an impediment to the search operations on Wednesday. According to the report, the government sources conceded that which each passing day, the anger and dispair in the kin of the victims were increasing even as NDRF and navy personnel combed the river despite unfavourable conditions.

By Prakriti Neogi