Chitwan, Jul 28: The search for the two buses that plunged into the Trishuli River in Simaltal, Bharatpur Municipal Corporation-29, remains ongoing, with no signs of the vehicles or many passengers yet found, even after 16 days of intensive search and rescue operations.

The buses fell into the river from the Narayangadh-Muglin road section on June 28th due to a landslide. Chief District Officer Indradev Yadav reported that despite deploying a team, including Indian divers from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the buses’ whereabouts and the condition of many passengers remain unknown. The 12-member NDRF team, which arrived on July 5th, has now returned to India to report their initial findings to the Nepal government through the district administration office.

Chief District Officer Yadav confirmed that as of July 4th, no new bodies or remnants of the buses have been located. Previously, 24 bodies were discovered in various locations, but the rest remain unaccounted for. The team, including the Indian divers, suggested that the incident site might be within a 3.5 km stretch from Simaltal to Gaighat. However, they could not confirm the presence of the buses, only hypothesizing that there might be something in that area.

Yadav highlighted the challenges faced during the search, including the river’s depth and the lack of appropriate equipment to handle the strong water flow. The sonal camera and other devices currently in use are insufficient for detecting objects buried in the soil underwater. Although the equipment brought by the Indian team could see up to 30 feet below the water surface, the depth of the river impeded their efforts.

On June 28th, Bagmati Pradesh No. 03-006 B 1516 Angel Deluxe bus traveling from Birgunj to Kathmandu and Bagmati Pradesh No. 03-2495 B 001 Ganapati Deluxe bus traveling from Kathmandu to Gaur went missing in the Trishuli River, along with their passengers. Out of 65 people on board, three managed to escape, while 62 people went missing. So far, 24 bodies have been recovered, 18 of which have been identified and handed over to their families. The identities of the other six bodies remain unknown, and the status of the remaining 38 passengers and the buses is yet to be determined.

Chief District Officer Yadav has requested that the Ministry of Home Affairs declare the missing passengers deceased for relief purposes. Although a letter for relief has been sent, the search operation will continue until further instructions are received.