Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 26 (IANS) At least three children died after a school van carrying around 25 students plunged into a canal near here Monday evening, police said.


The children, from the Jyothi Nilayam School on the city's outskirts, were returning home from school.

Eyewitnesses said the van skidded off the road while trying to avoid a dog which came in its path.

"The tragedy would have been greater had a country boat which was present there had not been on the spot. The bus fell on top of the boat and because of that, some children managed to come out. Many children were rescued by workers on the boat," said Muneer, a local.

Three children -- Aromal, Ashwin and a girl Kaniha -- died, while 16 students have been hospitalised, police said. All of them are out of danger.

All the students were aged below 12 years, said Nedumangad constituency legislator Palode Ravi.

"The van has been pulled out of the canal," he added.

He said that locals jumped into the canal and rescued many children. Police and fire brigade teams also conducted rescue operations, assisted by the Central Reserve Police Force. A team of naval divers from Kochi has also reached the spot.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who reached the accident site, said all arrangements will be made for the injured. After a meeting of the cabinet here later, Chandy announced compensation for the kin of the three students who had died.