Ooty : Seven persons were killed and 27 injured, some of them seriously, when a government bus fell into 500-ft deep gorge today at Mandada, some 10 km from here.

The bus, with 34 persons, including the driver and the conductor, was proceeding to Coonoor from here. The mishap occurred when the driver tried to negotiate a big pothole and the vehicle fell into the gorge, killing six persons, including two women, on the spot.

Fire and Rescue, disaster management and police personnel rushed to the spot and managed to rescue and bring out 28 persons, of who 17 were taken to Coimbatore Government Hospital, while the rest were admitted to the Government Hospital here, police said.

The bus is said to have made three somersaults, before breaking into pieces, police said.

A 29-year old woman, succumbed to injuries in the Government Hospital here late in the evening. Though the injuries of many were serious, the condition of conductor was said to be critical, police added.