At least 12 persons were killed and 35 others wounded, eight of them seriously, when a state road transport corporation bus skidded off the road and rolled down into the Chenab river near Doda in Jammu region Thursday morning.

The bus was on its routine 60 km run from Kishtwar to the district headquarters of Doda.

As the news reached Doda, senior police and civil officials rushed to spot to launch rescue and relief operation.

"So far we have recovered bodies of 12 passengers and operations are on to retrieve more bodies, if any. The 35 injured persons have been shifted to Doda district hospital and eight critically injured are being airlifted to Jammu for specialised treatment," Manohar Singh, SSP Doda told rediff.com.

The Doda Kishtwar road running along the banks of Chenab river is an treacherous road stretch and so far hundreds have been killed and wounded in accidents here.