A packed bus plunged off a mountain highway near Pokhara in Nepal early Monday, killing 19 passengers and injuring 25 others, including a British national. Rescue teams quickly arrived at the scene, swiftly transporting the injured to hospitals for treatment. The Dhading district police office confirmed that a 24-year-old British individual was among those killed.
The bus had been en route from Pokhara to Kathmandu when it veered off Prithvi Highway after midnight, according to local authorities. It then rolled down a mountain slope and landed on the banks of Trishuli River near Benighat. Only nine bodies have so far been identified among the deceased.
The victims also included a Chinese national who was being treated at the National Trauma Center in Kathmandu. A 27-year-old New Zealand woman received minor injuries and was receiving care at a local hospital. China’s Xinhua News Agency reported that another Chinese national from the incident is missing.
Rescuers swiftly reached the accident site, promptly evacuating injured passengers who were then transferred to hospitals for further treatment. Nepal’s bus accidents are frequent incidents due to poorly maintained roads and vehicles in a country predominantly covered by mountains and interconnected only via narrow routes. In 2024, two buses carrying 65 people each fell into Trishuli River, with most aboard likely killed or still missing. The wreckage of one of these buses was discovered earlier this year, buried under sand deep within the riverbed.
The incident highlights the grave risks faced by travelers in Nepal’s mountainous terrain and underscores the importance of improved road safety measures to prevent such tragedies.