Nepal Bus Accident on Prithvi Highway Kills 18 After Plunging Into River

• Nepal bus accident kills eighteen passengers.
• Bus plunges into Trishuli river.
• Prithvi Highway safety concerns rise.

A devastating road accident shook Nepal after a passenger bus plunged into the Trishuli river, leaving at least 18 people dead and several others injured. The tragedy unfolded on the busy Prithvi Highway, once again highlighting safety concerns on the country’s hill roads.

The bus was travelling from Pokhara to Kathmandu when it lost control near Chhinadhar in the Benighat Rorang rural municipality of Dhading district. The accident occurred between 1.15 am and 1.30 am, when the vehicle veered off a curve and plunged into the swollen river below. Officials said more than 45 passengers were on board at the time.

Rescue operations were launched immediately, but darkness and the strong river current made the task extremely challenging. Teams from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police and local residents worked through the night to pull survivors from the river.

So far, 18 bodies have been recovered, including a man from New Zealand. Around 28 passengers were rescued alive, among them two foreign women from Japan and Netherlands. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, while search operations continue amid fears that more victims may have been swept away.

Police suspect overspeeding as a possible cause of the accident, though technical failure has not been ruled out. Dhading district traffic police chief Shishir Thapa said investigations are underway to determine the exact reason behind the crash.

The incident has renewed concerns over frequent road accidents in Nepal’s mountainous regions, where poor road conditions vehicle maintenance issues and driver negligence continue to claim lives. Authorities have assured that rescue efforts will continue until all passengers are accounted for.

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