Mumbai: The toll in the tragic bus accident in Tanahun district of Nepal has now risen to 41. Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan confirmed the casualties during a press conference in Mumbai on Saturday, said a media report. The bus carrying mostly Indian tourists hailing from Maharashtra plunged into a gorge of the Marsyangdi river in Ambukhereni area of Tanahun district of Nepal on Friday.
Statement Of Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan On The Accident
At the press conference, Mahajan said that the state government was maintaining ongoing communication with both the Nepal administration and the Nepal Embassy in Delhi to coordinate relief efforts.
“41 people have lost their lives in Nepal after falling into the river. We’ve been in touch with the Embassy in Delhi, and the Nepal Army has transported 12 individuals to the hospital,” the Republic quoted Minister Mahajan as stating in the press conference.
#WATCH | Nepal bus accident: Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan says, “41 people have died in Nepal after it plunged into river…we connected with the Embassy in Delhi also…12 people have been shifted by the Nepal Army to the hospital…We don’t have the exact figure… We… pic.twitter.com/qW3iuJrhxc
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2024 Maharashtra: Indian Air Force Plane To Bring Bodies Of Pilgrims Killed In Nepal Bus Tragedy To Nashik On Saturday
The bus with passengers mostly from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district, was plying from the mountainous tourist resort of Pokhara to the Nepal capital Kathmandu when it fell 150-feet into a river valley.
#BREAKING: Indian passenger bus with 40 people onboard has plunged into the Marsyangdi river in Tanahun district of Nepal. The bus bearing number UP FT 7623 plunged into the river and is lying on the river bank. Bus was en route to Kathmandu from Pokhara. Resume Ops underway now. pic.twitter.com/CYeubdwYhC
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 23, 2024
#WATCH | Nepal | An Indian passenger bus with 40 people onboard has plunged into the Marsyangdi river in Tanahun district, confirms Nepal Police.
“The bus bearing number plate UP FT 7623 plunged into the river and is lying on the bank of the river,” DSP Deepkumar Raya from the… pic.twitter.com/P8XwIA27qJ
— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2024
Lahu Mali, Director Of Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority On Actions To Be Taken To Bring Back Bodies Of Victims & Those Injured In The Accident
Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Director Lahu Mali said that the bodies of the victims and the injured persons will enter India from Maharajganj district of the Uttar Pradesh-Nepal border on Saturday afternoon. From there they will be taken to Gorakhpur Airport by road, a distance of around 4 hours, and arrangements are being made for the onward journey to Nashik Airport, and then by road to Jalgaon. Since it is not possible to transport so many bodies and injured persons in a commercial flight, the Maharashtra government has written to the Indian Air Force (IAF) to arrange for a special flight. The special flight is likely to fly from Gorakhpur to Nashik – the nearest airport to Jalgaon – and the state government will bear all the expenses for the same.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis Expresses His Condolences
Earlier on Friday, Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that “some devotees from Maharashtra” were killed in the bus tragedy and several others were injured.
नेपाळमधील बसदुर्घटनेप्रकरणी नेपाळसह सीमेवरील संबंधित अधिकाऱ्यांशी समन्वय साधून जळगाव जिल्ह्यातील अडकलेल्या भाविकांना सर्व प्रकारची मदत पोहचवण्याचे काम सुरु…
(माध्यमांशी संवाद | नाशिक | 23-8-2024)#Maharashtra #BusAccident #NepalBusAccident pic.twitter.com/y5WKT7HO38
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 23, 2024
Deeply saddened by the tragic accident in Nepal, which resulted in the loss of lives and injuries among devotees from Maharashtra too. My deepest condolences and prayers are with the grieving families.
Wishing speedy recovery to the injured.
As per the initial information, it is… https://t.co/TVXUKtycsH
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 23, 2024
The major rescue and relief operations were carried out by the local police, district and Nepal Army authorities, said officials here. Some government officials from the Maharajganj Collectorate had proceeded to the India-Nepal border to render help, as the bus had a Uttar Pradesh registration number, though exact details were not available.
