Three Indian men, including two brothers, met a tragic end as they used Google Maps to navigate back home, as their vehicle plunged off an unfinished bridge.
The three men were on their way to a wedding venue when they relied on the navigation app to guide them to their destination. However, their vehicle climbed on to an incomplete bridge and plunged into the river flowing 50 feet below in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district, police said.
Bridge Had Collapsed During Floods Earlier this Year; Google Maps Didn't Update This Change on Their App
According to reports, there was dense fog in the area and by the time the passengers applied the brakes, it was too late. All three passengers died in the crash. The damaged vehicle was pulled out of the Ramganga river when the villagers spotted it and reported the accident to local authorities.
"Earlier this year, floods had caused the front portion of the bridge to collapse into the river, but this change had not been updated in the GPS. As a result, the driver was misled and did not realize the bridge was unsafe," Circle Officer of the area Ashutosh Shivam said.
Family Members Blame Civic Authorities for Leaving Bridge Unbarricaded
The family members who reached the post-mortem house said that the victims were relying on Google Maps. They also blamed the departmental officials because the bridge was left incomplete and there was no barricading around the area to caution the incoming vehicles.
The family blamed the negligence of the administration for the accident. They have also requested the district magistrate to take action against those responsible so that such incidents do not happen in future.
"In addition, the absence of safety barriers or warning signs on the under-construction bridge compounded the danger, leading to the fatal accident," Ashutosh Shivam said.
