Dhading Accident Update: Dozens Injured, 18 Dead After Bus Plunges Into River; 14 Treated at Trauma Center (Photos)

A passenger bus traveling from Pokhara to Kathmandu plunged into the Trishuli River in Dhading early Monday, killing 18 people, authorities said. The bus, registered as Ga 1 Kha 1421 and carrying more than 40 passengers, veered off the Prithvi Highway around 1:30 a.m. near Bhaisigauda in Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality before crashing into the riverbank.

Rescue teams from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and local volunteers recovered the bodies of 17 victims at the scene; another person died later in hospital, bringing the confirmed death toll to 18. Dozens of survivors were airlifted or transported to hospitals in Kathmandu for treatment, with 14 still receiving care at the National Trauma Center.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident, which they say occurred at night and under challenging conditions. Meanwhile the identities of many victims and those injured remain under verification.

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