Switched-On Mobile Phone Helps Rescuers Trace Eight Victims After Vehicle Plunges 1,200 Feet Into Ambenali Ghat Valley

Navi Mumbai: A single mobile phone that remained switched on helped rescuers trace the location of eight victims whose vehicle had plunged nearly 1,200 feet into a valley in the Ambenali Ghat section near Poladpur, during a gruelling rescue operation that lasted almost 22 hours.

Darkness, Heat and Slippery Terrain Hamper Operation

The operation, carried out jointly by police and multiple rescue teams, was hampered by darkness, steep terrain, extreme heat and slippery conditions inside the gorge.

Mahabaleshwar rescue team member Sunil Bhatia said the first alert about a possible accident was received around 10.30 pm on Sunday, after which rescue volunteers began searching the valley for a missing Scorpio vehicle.

Rescuers Initially Find Honda City from Earlier Accident

Members of the Pratapgad rescue team initially spotted what appeared to be a mangled vehicle deep in the gorge. After setting up rope systems and descending into the valley, they discovered that the vehicle was actually a Honda City involved in an earlier accident.

The teams climbed back up and resumed the search from another side. By then, the Siscape Rescue Team from Mahad and other rescuers had joined the operation.

Bent Signboard and Broken Trees Indicate Plunge Point

During the renewed search, rescuers noticed a bent roadside signboard and broken trees below it, indicating that a vehicle may have plunged from that point. Soon afterwards, they found a mobile phone and a car mirror around 450 metres from the suspected crash point.

“One mobile phone was still switched on, which helped us locate the bodies. Otherwise, finding the vehicle in such dense terrain would have been nearly impossible,” Bhatia said.

First Two Bodies Retrieved Using Zipline System

The rescuers then spotted two bodies in the darkness and called for additional manpower and equipment. The first two bodies were retrieved using a zipline system.

As the operation progressed, teams split into two groups. One continued from the highway above, while another group descended through a stream route near Dabhil village with the help of local villagers.

Drone Footage Reveals Crashed Vehicle and Six Bodies

At around 7.30 am on Monday, the Siscape Mahad team deployed a drone into the valley. The drone footage finally revealed the crashed vehicle along with six bodies scattered nearby.

Bhatia said the recovery operation became increasingly difficult due to a beehive hanging near the crash site, slippery rocks, dense vegetation and flowing water in the stream route. Rescue personnel also had to battle extreme exhaustion after remaining awake through Sunday night.

Temperatures Near 40°C Cause Body Decomposition

Temperatures inside the valley were close to 40 degrees Celsius, and the bodies had started decomposing due to the heat, he said.

“At one point, one of the stretchers of the three, broke while we were carrying a body uphill. It took nearly one-and-a-half hours to retrieve a single body from the gorge,” Bhatia said.

Eighth and Final Body Recovered by 8 PM Monday

The operation continued throughout Monday. The fifth body was retrieved at around 1.30 pm, the sixth at 3 pm, the seventh at around 7.15 pm and the eighth at around 8 pm. The final body could only be brought back up to the road by 11 pm.

Bhatia, who has participated in over 200 body recovery operations, said the Ambenali Ghat stretch near Dabhil peak has witnessed several fatal crashes over the years.

“Around 40 bodies have been recovered from this stretch in different accidents since 2018. In one 2018 accident alone, nearly 30 bodies had to be retrieved,” he said.

He added that there is an urgent need for specialised waterproof folding stretchers and spine-board rescue equipment for future emergencies in the dangerous ghat section.

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