Kathmandu, Feb 23: At least 19 people were killed and 25 others injured after a packed passenger bus plunged off a mountain highway in Nepal shortly after midnight, police said on Monday.
The bus was travelling from Pokhara to Kathmandu when it veered off the Prithvi Highway near Benighat, about 80 km west of the capital.
According to officials, the vehicle rolled down a steep mountain slope and landed on the banks of the Trishuli River.
Among those killed were a Chinese national and a 24-year-old British national. At least nine bodies have been identified so far, police said.
The injured included another Chinese national, who is undergoing treatment, and a 27-year-old woman from New Zealand who sustained minor injuries. All injured passengers were rushed to nearby hospitals after rescuers reached the accident site shortly after the crash.
Police have launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Bus accidents are frequent in Nepal, largely due to poorly maintained roads and vehicles. The Himalayan nation’s rugged terrain and narrow highways often contribute to fatal crashes.
In 2024, two buses carrying 65 people fell into the same river, leaving most passengers dead or missing. The wreckage of one of the buses was recovered only this year, buried deep in sand.
