A devastating bus accident in Nepal’s central Dhading district has claimed the lives of at least 19 people, including a 24-year-old British hiker. The passenger bus, traveling from the lakeside tourist hub of Pokhara to the capital city of Kathmandu, veered off the Prithvi Highway in the early hours of Monday morning, plunging nearly 200 meters down a steep embankment.
The vehicle came to a rest on the banks of the icy Trishuli River near Bhaisigauda. Authorities confirmed that of the 44 people on board, 17 died at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries at a local hospital. Among the identified victims are several international tourists, including 24-year-old Dominic Ethan Stewart from the UK, a 40-year-old Chinese woman, and a 32-year-old man from India.
At least 19 people, including a 24-year-old British national, were killed and 25 injured when a packed bus plunged off Nepal’s Prithvi Highway into a mountain slope near the Trishuli River.
Police are probing the incident. pic.twitter.com/ez2v4EnWnS
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 23, 2026
Rescue and Recovery Efforts
A massive rescue operation was launched involving the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and specialized diving teams. Rescuers navigated treacherous terrain and pitch-dark conditions to reach survivors scattered along the slope. The 25 injured passengers, including a New Zealander and a Chinese national, were transported to the National Trauma Centre and other medical facilities in Kathmandu for urgent treatment.
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Investigation and Road Safety
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted a five-member task force to investigate the cause of the crash. Preliminary reports suggest the driver may have lost control on a narrow, twisting stretch of the road. This incident underscores the recurring safety challenges on Nepal’s mountain highways, where poor maintenance and difficult terrain frequently lead to fatal accidents.
The UK Foreign Office is currently providing consular assistance to the family of the British national. Tributes have begun to pour in for Mr. Stewart, an avid trekker who had reportedly just completed the grueling Annapurna Circuit.
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