At least 18 people died and 20 were reported missing on Tuesday after a bus fell off a bridge into a canal in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh, PTI reported, quoting the state police.

The incident took place in the morning. The bus fell into the canal near Patna village, around 80 kms away from the Sidhi district headquarter. It was on its way from Sidhi to Satna when the driver lost control of the vehicle, according to ANI. At least 54 passengers were on board.

“Eighteen bodies have been fished out of the Bansagar canal until now,” said Rewa Zone Inspector General Umesh Joga. “At least 20 other passengers are feared missing, and a search and rescue operation is underway.” Joga added that at least seven persons swam to safety.

A team of State Disaster Response Force personnel and divers reached the spot. Authorities also released water from the Bansagar canal into the Sihawal canal to lower the levels in the water body so that rescue operations could begin, according to ANI.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took cognisance of the matter. He spoke to the district collector and asked him to expedite the rescue operation.

Madhya Pradesh minister Tulsi Silawat said that the chief minister had been taking a “minute to minute” account of the accident since morning. “Two of us are going to Sidhi as per his instructions,” Silawat added.