Bridge under construction collapses in Kashmir

Srinagar: A bridge under construction over an icy Himalayan river in Indian-controlled Kashmir collapsed on Sunday, leaving at least 23 workers missing and feared dead, police said.

Police were searching the banks of the river, but no bodies or survivors have been found, said B. Srinivas, a senior police official.

The incident took place outside the town of Uri, 100 kilometres west of Srinagar, the main city in the region. The bridge is near the de facto border that separates India and Pakistan, which both claim the Himalayan region.

Srinivas said it was not immediately clear what caused the bridge to fall. Construction accidents are common in India, where little regard is paid to safety and shoddy materials are often used.