MP bus tragedy: All 54 bodies found, search operation ends

The death toll in the February 16bus accident in Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh touched 54 after thebody of the last missing person was retrieved from a canal onSaturday, leading to the search operation being called off,officials said.

A bus carrying 61 people, including the driver, hadplunged into the canal near Patna village, some 80 kilometresfrom the district headquarters, while coming from Satna.

The body of Arvind Vishwakarma, the last person whosewhereabouts were unknown post the mishap, was recovered from aspot in the canal that was 30 kilometres from the accidentsite, said Sidhi Collector Ravindra Kumar Sharma.

''The spot is in neighbouring Rewa district. With thisthe five-day long rescue operation has now been called off asall bodies have been fished out,'' he said.

The search operation was carried out on a 35-kilometrestretch of the canal, officials said.

The bus, with a capacity of 32, was carrying 61people, including the driver, when it plunged into the canal,leaving 54 dead, while seven survived.