An Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft landed at Bharatpur Airport on Saturday to ferry the survivors and the bodies of 27 Indian pilgrims from Maharashtra who tragically lost their lives in a bus crash in Tanahun, Nepal, on Friday. The plane is scheduled to take off shortly, bound for Nasik, Maharashtra.

This mission follows a briefing by Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs to India’s Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, who was informed about the accident’s details and the ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.

The accident occurred in Ambukhaireni Rural Municipality-4, Tanahun, when a passenger bus (UP 53 FT 7623) traveling from Pokhara to Kathmandu veered off the road and plunged 200 meters into the Marsyangdi River. The crash resulted in 27 fatalities and left 16 others injured.

Read Also:

Tanahu Bus Tragedy: Death Toll Climbs to 27, Full List of Victims Released

In a meeting at Singha Durbar, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and assured that Nepal is committed to providing the best possible care for the survivors. Minister Lekhak emphasized the prompt response of local authorities and rescue teams in addressing the crisis.

Minister Khadse, who visited the injured at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, praised the Nepalese government’s swift and efficient response. She also expressed personal grief, noting that some of her relatives were among those who perished in the accident.

According to Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs, three of the injured passengers remain in the ICU, while others are being treated in general wards. The bodies of the deceased are undergoing post-mortem examinations at Bharatpur Hospital, after which they will be transported back to India on the special flight.

The C-130J’s arrival marks a significant step in repatriating the victims and ensuring the safe return of the survivors to their homeland.