CHITWAN: Divers have been unable to locate the two buses that were swept into the Trishuli River by a landslide on Friday morning.
On Saturday morning, divers entered the river to determine the status of the buses that were swept off the road by the landslide in Bharatpur-29. Simaltal, Chitwan.
Two Armed Police Force divers searched underwater for 20 minutes but did not find the buses within 20 meters of the reported location where they fell into the Trishuli.
One diver told reporters at the scene that even at a depth of 50 feet, they could not find the buses.
The search, conducted with another diver, covered 20 meters around the suspected location without revealing the status of the vehicles or passengers.
The weather around Simaltal was favorable on Saturday, facilitating the search and rescue operations.
However, the high water flow in the Trishuli River made the search challenging.
Divers from the Armed Police Force reported difficulties in navigating the river’s strong current.
After failing to locate the buses at the probable sinking site, the search team, including Armed Police Force divers, expanded their search area up to 100 meters downstream.
Currently, a team of divers from the Nepal Army is also involved in the search at the suspected site.
Rescuers suspect the buses may have been carried further downstream by the river’s strong current.
Throughout Friday, the search team found some bus curtains and passenger belongings.
Three passengers survived after the buses fell into the Trishuli River following the landslide.
The Bagmati Province 03-001 K 2495 bus, traveling from Kathmandu to Gaur, and the Bagmati Province 03-006 K 1516 bus, traveling from Birgunj to Kathmandu, were swept into the Trishuli River by the landslide at Simaltal on Friday morning.
The bus from Kathmandu to Gaur had 27 passengers, while the bus from Birgunj to Kathmandu had 24 passengers.
Comment