In a tragic turn of events, an Indian tourist bus en route from Pokhara to Kathmandu plunged into a river gorge in Nepal’s Tanahu district on Wednesday. The accident occurred in Abukhaireni Municipality and involved approximately 42 passengers from Maharashtra, India.
The bus veered off course and fell into the riverbed around 11:30 AM Nepalese time after a landslide hit the area. Immediate rescue efforts were launched by the Nepalese Army, the Armed Police Force, and local police. Unfortunately, the latest updates confirm that 14 people have died, with their bodies already recovered from the scene. Additionally, 15 others sustained injuries and have been transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The bus driver, identified as Murtaza from Gorakhpur, was also among the casualties. Rescue teams are facing significant challenges due to the bus’s location in a deep gorge, which complicates the operation. Despite these difficulties, the Nepalese administration is fully committed to the rescue mission, working around the clock to aid the affected.
SP Virendra Shahi from Tanahu has assured that efforts to recover any remaining passengers and provide assistance to the injured are ongoing. The incident has brought widespread sorrow and highlighted the urgent need for enhanced safety measures on such routes.