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Tragic Bus Accident in Nepal Results in 27 Fatalities
A tragic bus accident in Nepal has claimed the lives of 27 individuals, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the region. This heartbreaking incident raises questions about transportation regulations and the need for improved road safety measures.
Tragic Bus Accident in Nepal Claims 27 Lives
In a heartbreaking incident on Friday, at least 27 individuals lost their lives when a tour bus veered off the road and plummeted into a gorge, ultimately ending up in the Marsyangdi River located in the central district of Tanahun, Nepal. The bus was transporting tourists from Maharashtra State in central-west India, and it was en route to the capital city of Kathmandu after a visit to Pokhara, a well-known tourist hotspot.
Nepal is a popular destination for Indian tourists, particularly families traveling by road to visit significant Hindu temples scattered throughout the region. The precise cause of this devastating accident remains under investigation.
According to Birendra Bahadur Shahi, a superintendent of police in Tanahun, the crash also left 16 additional passengers injured, with many of them in critical condition. Emergency medical services airlifted the injured to hospitals in Kathmandu for urgent treatment.
The challenging local terrain significantly hindered rescue operations. Officials reported that it took rescuers a painstaking seven hours to retrieve both the injured and the deceased from the steep gorge using ropes.
Nepal’s Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, expressed his profound sorrow over the tragedy, stating that he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of life. In a gesture of solidarity, India dispatched a government minister, Raksha Khadse, to Kathmandu on Saturday, tasked with assisting in the medical treatment of the injured and facilitating the repatriation of the deceased.
Nepal has long faced challenges related to road safety, particularly due to its treacherous mountainous terrain. Many roads are narrow and winding, and vast areas of the country remain difficult to access. Just last month, a landslide resulted in two buses plunging into the Trishuli River, tragically claiming the lives of over 60 people. Between April 2022 and April 2023, the nation recorded more than 2,300 fatalities due to traffic accidents.
The frequency of such disasters, coupled with ongoing concerns surrounding aviation safety, poses a significant threat not only to the lives of Nepali citizens but also to the tourism sector, which is a vital source of revenue for this economically challenged nation. As tourism entrepreneur Babar Jung Gurung from Pokhara aptly noted, “Bad news spreads faster than good news,” highlighting the potential impact of these incidents on Nepal’s image as a travel destination.