What turns a routine journey through the mountains into a tragedy in seconds?
In Kathmandu, the answer came brutally. A bus travelling from Pokhara veered off a narrow mountain road and plunged more than 200 metres into the icy Trishuli River.
Nineteen lives lost. Dozens more injured. Among the victims, a British tourist—far from home, caught in a nightmare.
Officials say 44 people were on board. “Nineteen died, 25 are being treated,” confirmed police officer Prakash Dahal.
Systemic Road Risks
Rescue teams worked through the early hours, pulling survivors from freezing waters. But for many, help came too late.
And this isn’t an isolated tragedy. Just last year, landslides swept two buses into the same river. So what’s going wrong?
Experts often point to a dangerous mix: poorly maintained roads, aging vehicles, and risky driving on steep Himalayan routes.
“It’s not just bad luck,” a transport analyst might argue. “It’s a systemic issue.”
The beauty of Nepal’s mountains draws millions. But beneath that beauty lies risk—unforgiving, unpredictable, and often deadly.
Because sometimes, the road itself isn’t the journey. It’s the danger waiting beneath it.
