Indian Air Force Airlifts 25 Bodies of Pilgrims from Nepal Accident

An Indian Air Force aircraft transported 25 bodies of Indian pilgrims killed in a road mishap in Nepal. The plane landed in Bharatpur, Chitwan, and returned to Maharashtra. The accident, which claimed 27 lives, occurred when an India-registered bus crashed into the Marsyangdi River basin.

An Indian Air Force aircraft has transported 25 bodies of Indian pilgrims who perished in a road accident in Western Nepal on Saturday evening. The military plane landed in Bharatpur, Chitwan district, close to Tanahun, where an India-registered bus had crashed on Friday. The aircraft, initially departing from West Bengal, India, flew back to Maharashtra with the 25 victims of the Aanbu Khaireni bus accident. The incident resulted in a total of 27 deaths when the bus plunged off the road into the river basin.

"Of the 27 fatalities, two bodies were transferred to Gorakhpur by road, to their hometowns. These bodies were of the driver and the assistant of the bus. The remaining 25 bodies were airlifted by the Indian Air Force aircraft, which arrived at Bharatpur Airport late this afternoon. The remains are destined for Jalgaon district in Maharashtra and the aircraft is expected to land in Mumbai this evening," confirmed Indradev Yadav, Chief District Officer of Chitwan, over the phone with ANI. Autopsies were conducted at Bharatpur Hospital, and the bodies were handed over to Indian authorities for repatriation.

Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, along with Maharashtra legislator Sanjay Shubhakar, traveled to Nepal on Saturday morning to assess the condition of injured Indian nationals. Both officials returned on the same aircraft. Khadse visited the 16 injured individuals undergoing treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu and received updates on their health. She also met with Nepal's Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak to receive a briefing on the rescue operations.

"Met 16 Indian nationals who were injured in the road accident yesterday and are currently receiving treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (Kathmandu) with Home Minister of Nepal Ramesh Lekhak," Khadse wrote on X after the hospital visit. She expressed gratitude to the Nepalese government for their timely assistance in the search, rescue, and medical treatment of the injured. Khadse also commended the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu for their essential coordination efforts with Nepalese officials.

A total of 27 Indian nationals were killed, and 16 others were injured when a bus with an Indian registration number plunged into the Marsyangdi River at Anbukhaireni Rural Municipality in Tanahun district on Friday. The bus, traveling from Pokhara to Kathmandu, skidded off the road at Ainapahara in Ward 2 of the rural municipality and plummeted approximately 150 meters into the river around 11:30 am local time on Friday.

While 26 people died instantly at the crash site, one more succumbed to injuries at Old Medical College in Chitwan, stated Deputy Superintendent of Police Santosh Paudel of the District Traffic Police Office, Tanahun. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)