27 Indian tourists killed, 16 injured after bus falls into river

A bus carrying Indian tourists veered off a Nepali highway and plunged into a river on Friday, resulting in the deaths of 27 people and injuring 16 others.

Deadly accidents are common in Nepal due to poor road conditions, poorly maintained vehicles, and reckless driving.

The bus was en route from the tourist city of Pokhara to the capital, Kathmandu, when it crashed around noon in the central district of Tanahun.

"Out of 43 passengers, a total of 27 people have died," said Janardan Gautam, an official from Tanahun district, to AFP.

Rescuers faced challenges as they battled the strong currents of the Marsyangdi River to pull passengers from the water.

The 16 injured passengers were airlifted to Kathmandu by military helicopter for medical treatment.

Authorities confirmed that all the bus passengers were Indian nationals who had spent the previous night in Pokhara and were traveling to Kathmandu.

"Of the deceased, 26 bodies are currently at a local hospital and will be transported to Pokhara after all formalities are completed," Gautam stated. One person died while receiving treatment at Bharatpur Hospital.

"We focused on rescue operations today, and we will now begin investigating the incident," Gautam added.

According to government data, nearly 2,400 people lost their lives on Nepal‍‍`s roads in the 12 months leading up to April.