Truck carrying Indian soldiers falls into gorge, killing 16

GUWAHATI, India (AP) — A truck carrying Indian soldiers skidded down a steep slope into a gorge in India’s remote northeast on Friday, killing at least 16, the army said.

Four other soldiers were injured in the accident in Chatten, 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Gangtok, the Sikkim state capital, it said.

The accident occurred when the vehicle was making a sharp turn on a mountain road, the army said in a statement.

The injured soldiers were taken by air to a nearby army hospital, it said.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said he was deeply pained by the loss of the soldiers’ lives.

Accidents are common on India’s poorly maintained roads. More than 110,000 people are killed each year in road accidents across India, according to police. Most accidents are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.