Nov 16 (V7N)— Tragedy struck in western Nepal's Darchula district when a bus carrying pilgrims fell into a deep gorge, killing eight and injuring five others. The accident occurred early Friday morning near the Shailshikar Municipality area, according to Rising Nepal.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Prakash Dahal reported that the bus plunged approximately 300 meters into the Sirad River from a mountain road around 4:00 AM local time.

The injured were promptly rescued and transported to Gokuleshwar Hospital for treatment. Among the injured, three remain in critical condition.

District police spokesperson Chhatra Bahadur Rawat confirmed that the vehicle was carrying pilgrims returning from the Mallikarjuna Temple, a prominent religious site in the district.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident and the total number of passengers on board at the time of the incident.

The accident highlights ongoing concerns about road safety in Nepal’s mountainous regions, where narrow and treacherous roads often lead to fatal accidents.

END/RH/AJ