A devastating bus accident in Nepal’s mountainous region has resulted in significant casualties, with 19 confirmed fatalities and 25 individuals injured. The tragedy occurred in the early hours of Monday when the overcrowded vehicle veered off the Prithvi Highway near Benighat, approximately 80 kilometers west of Kathmandu.
According to Dhading district police reports, the bus was traveling from the popular tourist destination of Pokhara to the nation’s capital when it plummeted down a steep mountainside, ultimately coming to rest on the banks of the Trishuli River. The crash site presented rescuers with challenging terrain as they worked to extract survivors from the wreckage.
International victims included a 24-year-old British national who perished in the accident, while a Chinese citizen sustained injuries requiring treatment at Kathmandu’s National Trauma Center. Additionally, a 27-year-old New Zealand woman received medical attention for minor injuries at a local hospital. Chinese authorities have reported one additional national missing following the incident.
Mohan Prasad Neupane, a government administrator, confirmed that emergency response teams reached the location promptly, transporting the injured to medical facilities for urgent care. As of current reporting, only nine victims have been formally identified.
This tragic event highlights ongoing transportation safety concerns in Nepal’s mountainous regions, where narrow roadways and inadequate vehicle maintenance frequently contribute to accidents. The Himalayan nation’s challenging geography continues to present significant infrastructure challenges, with many areas accessible only via perilous mountain roads.
The recent accident bears similarities to another tragedy involving two buses that plunged into the same river earlier this year, resulting in 65 casualties with many victims never recovered. One vehicle remained buried in river sediment until its discovery this year.
Local authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the precise cause of the latest incident, examining factors ranging from road conditions to vehicle maintenance standards.