Nineteen people, including a 24-year-old British national, died after a passenger bus plunged off a mountain highway in Nepal early Monday morning, authorities confirmed. The bus, traveling from Pokhara to Kathmandu, veered off the Prithvi highway near Benighat, approximately 80 kilometers west of the capital, and fell onto the banks of the Trishuli River.
According to officials from the Armed Police Force, the accident occurred around 1:30 AM local time. Bishnu Prasad Bhatta, spokesperson at the Armed Police Force, stated that seventeen bodies have been recovered from the accident site. Twenty-eight injured passengers were rescued, and admitted to various hospitals for treatment. A further 25 people were wounded in the crash, according to reports.
Among the injured are a Chinese national currently receiving care at the National Trauma Center in Kathmandu, and reports indicate another Chinese citizen remains missing. Authorities have so far identified only nine of the deceased.
Rescue operations were hampered by the challenging terrain and the location of the crash, beside the quick-flowing Trishuli River. Personnel from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police were mobilized to assist in the recovery efforts.
While the precise cause of the accident remains under investigation, police have suggested overspeeding may have been a contributing factor. The bus was reportedly carrying a large number of passengers. Narrow, poorly maintained mountain roads and older vehicles prone to mechanical failure contribute to the risk of travel in Nepal, particularly at night.
This incident echoes a pattern of deadly bus crashes in Nepal. In 2024, two buses, each carrying 65 passengers, fell into the same Trishuli River, resulting in significant loss of life and leaving many passengers missing. Wreckage from one of those previous crashes was only recovered earlier this year, having been buried under sand.
One male passenger from New Zealand was among those killed, and one Japanese and one Dutch woman were reported injured. Authorities are continuing to investigate and work to identify all of the victims.
