Kathmandu, August 23 – A devastating incident occurred on Friday when a bus carrying 40 passengers from Gorakhpur, India, to Kathmandu, Nepal, plunged into the Marsyangdi River near Ainapahara in Tanahun district. The accident resulted in the death of 14 individuals, with 16 others injured.
The bus, embarking on its journey from the picturesque town of Pokhara after a two-day stay at the Majheri Resort, met with the tragic accident early Friday morning. Rescue operations commenced swiftly with teams from Nepal Police and Armed Police deployed, managing to rescue 16 passengers from the stranded bus along the river's edge.
Kaski Police spokesperson DSP Shailendra Thapa confirmed that the bus was on its way to Kathmandu when the mishap occurred. By afternoon, rescue teams had recovered 14 bodies, and 17 injured passengers were transported to the hospital for urgent medical care.
DSP Deepak Kumar Rai of Tanahun stated, "The ongoing rescue efforts may lead to an increase in the number of casualties as the operation continues." According to him, the bus was carrying 43 people including the driver and the co-driver. Efforts are ongoing to locate 13 missing passengers, with a team of 10 divers from Nepal Police and Armed Police involved in the search operations.
The Nepali Army has also been mobilized, with an MI-17 helicopter carrying a medical team dispatched to assist at the scene. Additionally, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has issued a helpline number (+9779851107021) on their official X account to assist families of the victims and provide necessary information regarding the accident.
This tragic event has drawn immediate attention from both Nepali and Indian authorities, who are collaboratively working to aid the affected passengers and investigate the circumstances leading to the accident.
