The number of victims of the microbus accident in northeast Georgia has risen to 17, as reported the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Georgia News reports.

This evening, an accident took place near Biso village after a microbus fell into a gorge from an almost 80-meter altitude.

Rescuers managed to remove three victims from the bus, transported them to a safe place and hospitalized one of them. They are in critical condition. The search for others in the microbus continues.

The causes of the accident remain unknown.

A criminal case has been instituted.