Bus wreckage found in Trishuli; suspected to be the bus missing from Simaltal

By Saligram Nepal, Chitwan, Jan.11: One of the two buses that fell into the Trishuli River from Simaltal Lake on the Muglin-Narayanghat road section of Chitwan has been found after eighteen months.

One of the two buses that was lost after falling into the river eighteen months ago has been found buried on the riverbank today. 

The front driver's side wheel hub and some tin parts of a bus have been recovered.

Local Roshan Bhujel had spotted the fish while fishing and informed the police.

Some parts of the bus were found buried in the sand on the riverbank, about 300 meters below the scene of the incident. 

Police have been digging up the remains of the bus. 

Further details of the incident are yet to be ascertained.

Spokesperson of the District Police Office, Chitwan, Rabindra Khanal, said that an investigation is underway to determine whether the remains found are from the bus that was swept away last year.

At least 51 people went missing after two passenger buses were swept away by a mudslide into the rain-swollen Trishuli River near Simaltal along the Narayanghat-Muglin road section at 3 AM on July 12, 2024.

A Kathmandu-bound Angel Deluxe Bus (Bagmati Province -03-006 Kha 15156) and a Ganapati Deluxe Bus (Bagmati Province -03-001 Kha 2495), en route to Gaur of Rautahat district from Kathmandu, were pushed into the river by the mudslide at around 3:30 am.

Three people were found injured in two buses carrying 65 people. Eleven bodies were found, and 51 people were missing.

 Divers from India were mobilized for the search operation.