Police in Ramanathapuram said the accident occurred when the five pilgrims returning from Sabarimala had parked their car on the roadside and slept in the vehicle after midnight along the East Coast Road near Keelakarai.
The mishap occurred around 2.50 p.m. when the bus lost control at a curve near Kattankavala and fell about 30 feet down the slope.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is considering introducing a limited spot booking facility for Sabarimala pilgrims this season.
While no casualties have been reported, around 28 Ayyappa devotees were injured in the incident.
The TDB is the body that oversees the daily functioning of the temple and all those who wish to visit the temple this month on the above dates have to either have a valid RT-PCR certificate or must have taken both the vaccine doses and can log on to book their time.
