Nepal bus crash: 18 dead, 26 injured after vehicle plunges into Trishuli River
Among the dead was a male passenger from New Zealand. One Japanese and one Dutch national, were among those injured
Nepal security forces carrying out rescue operations after a passenger bus plunged into the Trishuli river in Nepal on Monday morning (Photo: AIR/X)
Kathmandu, Feb 23: At least 18 people were killed and 26 others injured after a passenger bus plunged into the Trishuli river near Gajuri in Nepal’s Dhading district early Monday morning.
According to officials, the bus, travelling from Pokhara to Kathmandu, fell into the river along the Prithvi Highway around 1.30 am, nearly 90 km west of the capital.
Among the dead was a male passenger from New Zealand. One Japanese and one Dutch national, both women, were among those injured.
Bishnu Prasad Bhatta, spokesperson for the Armed Police Force, said 17 bodies had been recovered from the accident site and 28 injured passengers rescued.
“Seventeen bodies have been recovered and 28 injured passengers have been rescued from the site. The injured have been admitted to different hospitals for treatment,” Bhatta stated.
District authorities confirmed that 44 people were on board the ill-fated bus.
Chief District Officer of Dhading, Bijaya Raj Subedi, said the deceased had been sent for medical confirmation and the injured shifted to local and Kathmandu-based hospitals.
“We have sent 17 people who appear to have died on the spot for medical confirmation. We have also sent 27 others for treatment at different local hospitals and Kathmandu-based hospitals,” Subedi informed.
He further added, “The cause of the accident has not yet been identified, as the bus was travelling in its own lane.”
Rescue operations were launched immediately by personnel from the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police and local residents.
Authorities said the operation was hampered by darkness, difficult terrain and lack of adequate rescue equipment. The first phase of the rescue was completed at around 6.30 am.
While the exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined, police suspect over-speeding may have been a factor.
Nepal has witnessed a steady rise in road accidents in recent years alongside a growing number of vehicles.
In the fiscal year 2024–25, the country recorded 7,669 road accidents and 190 deaths, with 278 classified as serious.
According to a World Bank study, the economic cost of road traffic injuries in Nepal has tripled since 2007 and now amounts to nearly 1.5 per cent of the country’s gross national product.
More than 70 per cent of road fatality victims are vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
With inputs from agencies