Dang: Five persons were killed and 17 others suffered grievous injuries after a private bus carrying pilgrims fell into a deep gorge in Gujarat's Dang district on Sunday morning, police said.

The accident occurred at around 4:15 a.m. when the driver of the bus lost control over the wheels near the Saputara hill station, in-charge Superintendent of Police SG Patil said.

The bus, carrying 48 pilgrims, broke the crash barrier and fell at a depth of about 35 feet into the gorge, he said.

Five persons -- two women and three men -- died on the spot, the official said.

"Five pilgrims died and 17 others suffered serious injuries and have been rushed to a civil hospital at Ahwa. Some others have sustained minor injuries. The rescue operation is nearly over," the official said.

The bus was carrying 48 pilgrims from Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra to Dwarka in Gujarat when the accident took place, he said.

The pilgrims were from Guna, Shivpuri and Ashok Nagar districts of Madhya Pradesh, the official said.