Deadly Nepal bus crash claims lives of Indian pilgrims

At least 14 people were killed and 16 injured when a bus carrying Indian pilgrims veered off the Prithvi Highway in Nepal on August 23.

The bus, which was en route from Pokhara to Kathmandu, crashed into the rocky bank of the Marsyangdi River after skidding off the road, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Although the bus did not fall into the river, its top was severely damaged.

Armed Police Force spokesperson Shailendra Thapa confirmed the fatalities and injuries but could not provide an exact count of the missing or the total number of passengers. Initial estimates suggest there were around 50 people on the bus.

Rescue operations are ongoing near Abukhaireni, a town approximately 120 kilometres west of Kathmandu. Police and army personnel are working to extract survivors from the wreckage.

This incident follows a similar tragedy in July, where two buses were swept away by landslides near the same area. Of the 65 passengers on those buses, only three survived, and the search for the wreckage continues.

Bus accidents in Nepal are frequently attributed to poorly maintained roads and vehicles, exacerbated by the country's mountainous terrain and narrow roads.