At least 19 people, including a British national, were killed and 25 injured when a passenger bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu plunged 200 metres into the Trishuli River in Nepal’s Dhading district early on 23 February 2026.
Deadly Bus Crash in Nepal’s Dhading District Claims 19 Lives:
A packed passenger bus veered off the Prithvi Highway and tumbled roughly 200 metres down a steep mountainside before slamming into the banks of the Trishuli River in central Nepal early Monday, killing at least 19 people and injuring 25 others. The vehicle was carrying 44 passengers, including tourists, on the popular route from the lakeside city of Pokhara to the capital, Kathmandu, when the crash occurred around 1:30 am on 23 February 2026.
Rescue teams worked through the night in difficult terrain and darkness to recover bodies and pull survivors from the wreckage. The incident has stunned Nepal, where road accidents remain a leading cause of death, and has drawn fresh attention to the dangers facing both locals and international visitors on the country’s winding mountain highways.
Authorities Respond to Tragic Dhading Bus Accident:
According to police statements, the accident happened at around 1:30 am near Bhaisigauda in Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality-3. The bus, carrying 44 people including the driver, was travelling east toward Kathmandu. It suddenly veered off the highway, rolled down the steep embankment and came to rest on the riverbank.
District Traffic Police Chief Shishir Thapa confirmed the initial toll and the involvement of multiple agencies in the overnight rescue. Armed Police Force spokesperson Bishnu Prasad Bhatta said 17 bodies were recovered on site while 28 passengers were initially pulled alive from the wreckage; updated figures later settled at 19 dead and 25 injured after hospital deaths.
Rescue efforts were hampered by darkness, the remote location and the rugged terrain. Local residents assisted police and military teams, helping carry victims up the slope.
By late Monday, authorities had identified most victims. The government’s Home Ministry held an emergency meeting and formed a five-member committee to investigate the crash.
Prithvi Highway: Nepal’s High-Risk Route for Fatal Bus Accidents:
Nepal’s roads, particularly the Prithvi Highway linking Pokhara and Kathmandu, have a grim safety record. The route features sharp bends, narrow lanes, frequent landslides and poor barriers along river gorges. Overloaded or speeding buses are common, and enforcement of traffic rules remains inconsistent.
This stretch of the Trishuli River corridor has seen multiple fatal incidents in recent years. Bus and truck plunges are a recurring nightmare during the dry season when drivers often push higher speeds at night to meet schedules.
The Pokhara-Kathmandu route is a lifeline for tourism and commerce. Pokhara serves as the gateway to the Annapurna region, drawing hundreds of thousands of international visitors annually. Many choose budget bus travel, heightening the stakes when accidents occur.
Monday’s crash ranks among Nepal’s deadliest road incidents in recent memory, coming at a time when the country is trying to rebuild its tourism image after the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2015 earthquake.