Young New Zealand woman injured in deadly Nepal bus crash, 19 dead

Nineteen people have been killed after a passenger bus plunged into the Trishuli River in central Nepal's Dhading district. Photo / AFP

A young New Zealand woman has been injured in Nepal after a bus plummeted off a mountain road as it travelled through the Himalayas, killing at least 19 people, including a British tourist.

Police say the bus skidded off a mountain road and plunged into an icy river while en route from the tourist city of Pokhara to the capital city Kathmandu. It fell more than 200m into the Trishuli River in Dhading district early on Monday morning (local time).

“Out of 44, in total 19 people died, and 25 are undergoing treatment,” senior police officer Prakash Dahal told AFP, confirming a British citizen was among the dead.

A Chinese person and a 27-year-old Kiwi woman were among the injured, police said, with the New Zealander being treated at a local hospital for minor injuries.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) spokesperson said: “We are providing consular assistance to one New Zealander involved in a bus crash in Nepal”.

Relatives of victims who were killed in the bus accident wait to receive bodies at a healthcare centre in Gajuri, Dhading district. Photo / Sanjaya Shrestha / AFP

“No further information can be provided for privacy reasons.”

Mohan Prasad Neupane, information officer at the district administration office, said the rescue operation had been completed by dawn.

“The injured are undergoing treatment.”

In July 2024, two buses with more than 50 people on board were swept off the highway into the same river after a landslide.

Deadly crashes are relatively common in the Himalayan republic because of poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

New Zealand travellers are also being warned of increased violence in Mexico after the death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho”.

A US Government poster from 2024.

Cervantes, a former police officer and leader of the feared Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) drug cartel, died in a shootout with Mexico’s military over the weekend.

Cervantes’ death has triggered multiple violent skirmishes across the country, with local authorities responding to arson attacks, road blocks and clashes with organised crime groups.

Several Mexican states are being impacted by “ongoing security issues”, causing transportation delays and flight cancellations, a MFAT spokesperson said.

With 83 New Zealanders registered as being in Mexico on SafeTravel, the spokesperson said the ministry had been in touch with several of them to offer advice and assistance.

“We encourage all New Zealanders to register on SafeTravel, and to contact the Embassy should they require consular assistance,” the spokesperson said.

Kiwis in Mexico “should monitor local media for updates and follow the advice of local authorities” and contact their travel provider about any potential disruptions, they added.

- Agence France-Presse, additional reporting by NZ Herald