Nepal Tragedy: 18 Dead After Passenger Bus Plunges Into River in Dhading; Rescue Operations On

BREAKING: At least 18 people have lost their lives after a passenger bus plunged into a river in Dhading district of Nepal, police said on Monday. Rescue operations are still underway.

The bus was travelling to Kathmandu from Pokhara when it lost control and fell into the Trishuli River along the Prithvi Highway in Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality-5, Bhainsigauda.

According to officials from the Armed Police Force (APF), the accident occurred at around 1:30 AM on Monday. So far, 17 bodies have been recovered from the site, while 24 injured passengers have been rescued and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Reports suggested that a team of trained divers from the APF Nepal Disaster Management Unit has also been deployed to assist in the rescue efforts.

Authorities are still trying to identify the victims. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined.

As per the reports, the rescue teams continue to search the river as officials fear more passengers may have been on board at the time of the crash.