Benighat Rorang, Nepal — A tragic bus accident early Monday morning has left 19 people dead and 25 injured after the vehicle veered off a highway and plummeted into the Trishuli River. This incident, described as one of the deadliest road disasters in recent memory, occurred around 1:30 a.m. when the bus, traveling from the tourist hotspot of Pokhara to Kathmandu, skidded off the Prithvi Highway.
The bus, which departed from Pokhara Tourist Bus Park at 7 p.m. on Sunday, was carrying 44 individuals, including the driver and staff. Owing to the common practice of picking up additional passengers along the route, the number onboard increased to 44—comprising 29 men and 15 women—by the time of the accident. It plunged nearly 200 meters down a steep embankment before crashing onto the rocky banks of the river.
Rescue efforts were immediately launched by the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police, who worked through treacherous terrain to reach the crash site. A specialized diving unit joined the operation, which concluded around 6:30 a.m. Despite their swift response, heavy darkness and difficult conditions hindered their efforts to recover victims and assist survivors.
Among the deceased was 23-year-old Dominic Stewart, a British national who had recently completed a trek on the Annapurna Circuit. The bus owner, Om Kumar Shrestha, was also confirmed dead at the scene. Other victims included a 40-year-old woman from China and a 32-year-old man from India. Fatalities also included a range of Nepali nationals from various regions, aged between 30 and 63.
Injured passengers included a New Zealand woman who received treatment for minor injuries and a 12-year-old Chinese boy suffering from head trauma, who was rushed to Kathmandu’s National Trauma Centre. The UK Foreign Office stated that they are in contact with local authorities to support the family of the deceased British citizen.
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a task force to investigate the crash, prompted by an emergency meeting chaired by Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal. As of now, the cause of the accident remains uncertain, although initial reports suggest the bus may have lost control. Chief District Officer Bijaya Raj Subedi noted that the vehicle was traveling in its lane, raising questions about potential speeding or mechanical failure.
The Prithvi Highway, notorious for its sharp curves and narrow shoulders, has been the backdrop for numerous accidents in recent years. Rescue teams previously noted that poor road conditions and insufficient safety measures greatly contribute to the frequency of such incidents. In recent weeks, accidents in the region have reportedly claimed more than 40 lives, including a wedding bus accident that killed 13 people and another incident in Ramechhap that resulted in 12 fatalities.
The rise in road traffic incidents mirrors a dramatic increase in vehicle numbers on Nepal’s roads, many of which wind perilously through mountainous terrain. The country reported over 7,600 road accidents in the last fiscal year, resulting in substantial fatalities, with vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and motorcyclists increasingly at risk.
As the investigation continues, families of the deceased and community members gathered near the scene to remember the victims. Authorities are working diligently to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragedy, striving to uncover how an overnight journey between two of the nation’s most visited destinations turned deadly.