17 killed as crane collapses at road construction site in India's Maharashtra

NEW DELHI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 workers were killed and three others injured Tuesday after a crane collapsed at a road construction site in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, officials said.

The incident occurred near Shahapur in Thane district, about 71 km northeast of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra, and India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were rushed to the spot.

"Our search and rescue operation is still underway," said Sarang V Kurve, a senior official of the NDRF.

According to the NDRF, 17 bodies have been recovered from the spot. The three injured were moved to a nearby hospital.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the deaths and announced monetary compensation for the victims' families.