THE collapse of an under construction railway bridge today in India cost the lives of at least 26 workers while two were injured, police said, while the state railway authority launched an investigation into the accident.

The accident occurred in the city Sairang of the northeastern state of Mizoram, Zoramthanga, head of the Mizoram government, said via messaging platform X, formerly Twitter.

Media reported that up to 40 workers were at the accident site when the bridge collapsed, but police said 28 workers were present.

“Rescuers have been able to retrieve so far 13 corpses. Efforts are on to recover the remaining bodies,” said a state police official, who asked not to be named.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said in a statement posted on Platform X that the accident occurred during work being carried out under the Bairbi-Sairang New Rail Project.

The NFR said on its website that the project will connect Mizoram with the rest of the country, boosting “tourism and socio-economic development”.

A “high-level commission of inquiry” has been set up to investigate the crash, according to the NFR.