Driver swap, brake failure suspected in Valparai crash that killed nine

The Kerala Transport section is struggling to place the origin of the mishap connected the Valparai ghat roadworthy adjacent Pollachi connected Friday evening, successful which a Tempo Traveller carrying superior schoolteachers from Pang successful Malappuram territory plunged disconnected the roadworthy and landed astir 500 feet below, claiming 9 lives.

The 16-seater conveyance bearing registration KL 11 AM 7288 was reduced to a heap of mangled metallic successful the fall. Transport officials said the van was truthful severely damaged that it was hard to find whether immoderate mechanical nonaccomplishment had contributed to the accident.