‘People were desperately crying, but…’: Eyewitness recounts ‘horrifying’ Nepal bus accident that killed 27 Indians

An eyewitness of the horrific Nepal bus accident that claimed lives of 27 Indian nationals and left 16 others injured shared how the passengers were “screaming for help”, trying to “escape through the windows”.

At least 27 Indian pilgrims, all from Maharashtra, who were in Nepal for a 10-day tour, were killed and 16 others injured after their bus veered off the highway and fell into a fast-flowing Marsyangdi River in Aanboo Kaireni area of Nepal's Tanahun district on August 23.

Talking to The Kathmandu Post, the eyewitness of the accident, Arjun Khanal described the crash scene as extremely harrowing.

Khanal, a tourism entrepreneur, said he and a few others rushed to the scene, but since the bus had fallen 150 metres down the road, carrying the passengers up was very difficult.

“We arrived at the scene within 5 to 7 minutes of the accident and witnessed a terrifying sight. The bus had fallen about 150 metres down the road, and people were screaming for help," he told The Kathmandu Post.

“Three injured passengers were trying to escape through the bus windows.”

He also told the publication that the difficult terrain made the rescue operation extremely challenging. “People were crying for help but bringing them up to the road was very difficult.”

Meanwhile, India's Union Minister Raksha Khadse has arrived in Nepal to oversee the return of the victims and survivors of the accident.

She also shared a detailed list of the 16 people injured, the majority of whom sustained "serious" injuries. Ten of those injured were females, while the remaining six were males.

According to the police, the bus from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh carrying 43 passengers, including the driver and two helpers, was heading towards Kathmandu from Pokhara when it met with the accident around noon.

Gorakhpur ADM Vineet Kumar Singh said the bus driver and cleaner, who are residents of Gorakhpur, have also died in the accident.

"The bodies of the driver and cleaner are being brought by ambulance. There are army personnel and our officers at the border who will bring them here," he added.

Singh also informed that the Indian tourists who were travelling in other two buses are safe, and are returning to Gorakhpur today, 24 August.