On Monday, in the early hours, at least 18 people died after a bus travelling from Pokhara to Kathmandu got into an accident after plunging into a river in Nepal.
The Kathmandu Post reported that the bus fell into the Trishuli River at Chinadhara near Charaundi in ward 3 of Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality at around 1:15 am.
Foreigners Dead, Missing
Rajkumar Thakuri, chair of the Highway Rescue Management Committee, said 25 injured passengers have been sent to the hospital for treatment. The Himalayan Times, a newspaper from Nepal, reported that 44 passengers were believed to be on board the bus at the time of the accident. The deceased include two foreign nationals – one man and one woman.
Personnel from the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, and local residents are involved in the rescue operation. Authorities said the nighttime incident has made rescue efforts difficult. Further details are awaited.
The bus owner, Om Kumar Shrestha, was also on board, as per the report. He died at the scene, and the driver remains missing.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that one of the injured persons included a Chinese national, who is being treated at the National Trauma Center in Kathmandu. China’s official Xinhua News Agency, citing the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, reported earlier that one other Chinese national was missing.
Security personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force, along with local residents, carried out the rescue operation.
Bus Accidents Frequent
A Deccan Chronicle article states that bus accidents in Nepal are quite common due to poorly maintained roads and vehicles. The nature of the roads remains narrow as much of the Himalayan country is mountainous in nature.
The bus that plunged fell onto the banks of the fast-flowing mountain river. Two buses with 65 people on board fell into the same river in 2024 and were lost, with most aboard either killed or still missing. Wreckage of one of the buses was found only this year, buried deep in sand.
