MIRPUR At least 60 people are feared to have drowned while nine others sustained injuries after a passenger bus plunged into flooded River Jhelum near village Badhiyara, on Chanari Road Thursday, officials said. Talking to journalists, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Muzaffarabad Raja Saqib Munir Khan and Secretary Public Transport Authority (PTA) AJK Zia Ahmed Khawaja said the 36-seater Isuzu passenger coach No (PE-6131) owned by M/s Chuadhry Coach Service with 70 passengers on board was on its way from Garhi Dopatta to Muzaffarabad. Because of overspeeding, the driver lost his control over the wheel while overtaking another vehicle. The bus skidded off and fell into the river. All its passengers drowned, Zia said quoting the eyewitnesses. He said rescue operation was immediately launched owing to which nine passengers were fished out alive though with injuries condition. About 22 bodies have been recovered from the river by the rescue teams including the policemen. All the passengers of the ill-fated bus belonged to Chanari and Garhi Dopatta towns. Besides, Secretary PTA, Muzaffarabad district administration officials including DC Ch Imtiaz Ahmed, SSP Moosa Khan and ADC (G) Raja Saqib Munir Khan rushed to the site of accident and supervised the rescue operation, which was continued till the filing of this report and divers were still searching for the remaining bodies.