At least 45 people were feared dead as a bus carrying over 50 passengers on Friday morning plunged into the Chenab River in Doda district of Jammu region.

The bus, on its way from Jammu to Paddar, 200 km from Jammu, skidded off the road and fell from a height of 300 feet into the mighty river.

Senior Superintendent of Doda district R P Manhas told rediff.com on phone that as per the information provided by the three injured persons there were more than 50 passengers on the bus when the tragedy struck.

So far, the bodies of two passengers have been retrieved by the search teams of the army and the local police, who employed the services of professional divers in the massive rescue operation that has been started in the area.

"The injured have been so far rescued and sent for treatment to the hospital. We are doing everything possible to locate the rest," Doda District Magistrate Gulzar [Images] Ahmad Qureshi told this correspondent on phone.