Three schoolchildren drowned and nine others were missing when a bus plunged into a canal in East Godavari district on Tuesday.

The dead children have been identified as Bindu Madhavi, Addala Rahul and Addala Srinivas.

According to the district police, the bus belonging to Sai  Teja Public School of G Peddapudi village in the P Gananvaram mandal of East Godavari district fell into the canal while taking a sharp turn. Around 30 school and college students where in the bus.

The villagers were able to save 17 children but they failed to rescue 11 others. So far they have fished out three bodies.

The authorities have taken up massive rescue operations and shut down the regulatory locks of the canal on either sides.

The P Gannavaram police have registered a case.

Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has directed the district authorities to take immediate rescue operations.