Sambalpur/Gangtok, Oct. 25: A 38-year-old woman from Nayapara today died when the vehicle she, along with her husband and two children, was travelling in fell into a 500-feet-deep gorge near Mullick gate in South Sikkim.

The deceased, identified as Ritu Agrawal, and the driver of the vehicle, Pemba Sherpa, 38, died on the spot.

Ritu was the wife of Rajesh Agrawal, 45, a Sambalpur-based businessman, who, along with their son Harsha, 12, and daughter Khusi, 14, suffered injuries in the accident. The condition of the three, who were admitted to the district headquarters hospital, is said to be stable. The family had left for Sikkim last week.

This morning, the Agrawals hired a cab to visit South Sikkim. The vehicle was on its way to Buddha Park at Rabong from Namchi. On the way, around 12.30pm, the car reportedly lost its balance and fell into a gorge. Though Rajesh, Khushi and Harsha were rescued, Ritu and Pemba went missing. Local people recovered the bodies. The bodies have been sent to Namchi hospital for autopsy.

The Agrawals' relatives in Sambalpur are in a state of shock. Rajesh's elder brother Mukesh, who has left for Sikkim, said the family had gone to Sikkim on a vacation.

"The incident was reported around 12:30pm. The Wagon R vehicle went off the road around 500 feet below.