Newly Completed Renovated And Opened To The Public: England's 19th Century Bridge Collapses, 81 Tourists Killed

The bridge collapsed in Gujarat, India. (Twitter/@ndtv/PTI)

JAKARTA - At least 81 people died in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday when a pedestrian bridge packed with holiday festivities collapsed and plunged them into a river below.

Reuters TV footage showed dozens of people holding on to cables and twisting the remains of a bridge over the Machhu River, Morbi City, as emergency teams struggled to save them.

Some climbed over the damaged structures to try to get to the river's edge, while others swam to safety. A number of children were among the victims.

Prateek Vasava, who swam to the riverbank after falling off a bridge, told the Gujarati-language news channel 24 Hours that he witnessed several children fall into the river.

"I wanted to take some of them with me, but they have either sunk or washed away," he said.

The bridge collapsed in just seconds, he said.

Atul Prajapati, a medic at a government hospital near the disaster site, said: "We have recovered 81 bodies and the final ritual process has begun."

Meanwhile, officials said dozens of people were also injured. Meanwhile, authorities said more than 400 people were in and around the colonial-era suspension bridge when it collapsed.

Interior Minister Harsh Sanghavi said more than 150 people were on the bridge itself.

The bridge has attracted many tourists to celebrate Diwali, or the festival of lights, and the Chhath Puja holiday.

"Many children are enjoying Diwali holidays and they come here as tourists. Everything fell. The bridge collapsed due to overload," said a witness who gave his name as Sukram.

It is known, the 230 meter long bridge was built during British rule in the 19th century. The bridge has been closed for renovations for six months and reopened to the public last week.

Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had directed the state's chief minister to immediately mobilize a team for rescue operations.

Fifty naval and 30 air force personnel were deployed to help along with the national disaster management team to track down the missing, the government said in a statement. Meanwhile, a team of five people was appointed to investigate the disaster.