Rudraprayag, June 16 (IANS) At least 14 people were killed and several others sustained injuries after a tourist vehicle lost control and fell into the Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand on Saturday, officials said.

The accident took place on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway near Raitoli in the Rudraprayag district.

Injured persons were immediately rushed to the district hospital. Later, at least seven of them were airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh after their condition deteriorated.

A team of the State Disaster Response Force along with police and senior officials reached the spot following the accident for relief and rescue operations.

Calling the incident "very sad news", Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the district magistrate has been ordered to investigate the accident.

"I pray to God to grant the souls of the departed a place in his feet and provide strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense pain. I pray to Baba Kedar for the speedy recovery of the injured," he posted on X.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttarakhand Governor Gurmeet Singh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have expressed deep condolences.

Prime Minister Modi has announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given 50 thousand rupees.

Rahul Gandhi, expressing condolences to all the bereaved families, appealed to Congress workers to help the administration in every possible way in the rescue work.