Misled by Google Maps, 3 men die after driving their car off incomplete bridge in India

Misled by Google Maps, three men died after driving their car off an incomplete bridge in Uttar Pradesh, India, in the early hours of Nov 24.

According to several Indian media outlets, the victims were travelling from Noida to Bareilly to attend a wedding when their vehicle fell off the bridge and plunged into the Ramganga River. Some reports said they were on their way home after the celebration.

They had been following directions on the navigation app, which led their vehicle onto an unlit, incomplete bridge. Their car plummeted more than 15m before hitting the riverbed, reported The Times of India.

The mangled car, and the three men trapped inside it, were discovered on the morning of Nov 24 by locals from the Allapur village, who immediately alerted the police.

“At around 9.30am, we were informed about a damaged car found in the Ramganga river,” The Hindustan Times quoted a police spokesperson as saying.

“Our team discovered a Wagon R, suspected to be a taxi, that had fallen from the incomplete bridge. The bodies of the victims were recovered and sent for post-mortem.”

All three men were declared dead at the scene. Two of the victims have been identified as 30-year-old brothers Nitin and Ajit, while the third victim is known as Amit, 40, reported Indian newspaper The Economic Times.

Faridpur police officer Ashutosh Shivam said the front portion of the bridge collapsed onto the river during the floods earlier this year, but this change was not reflected in Google Maps.

He added that there were no safety barriers or warning signs on the bridge, reported The Economic Times.

Outraged by the incident, family members of the victims and residents in the area criticised the Public Works Department and local authorities for failing to close off the incomplete bridge.

“The officials must be held accountable for this negligence. Why was the bridge left incomplete, and why were there no safety measures in place?” one relative of the victims told The Hindustan Times, adding that a formal investigation is needed.

Four engineers from the Public Works Department and an unnamed official from Google Maps are currently assisting with police investigations, reported the Economic Times.

A Google spokesperson said in a statement: “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families. We’re working closely with the authorities and providing our support to investigate the issue.”