Indian rescue team joins search for missing bus passengers in Nepal

A 12-member team from India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has joined Nepali security forces in the search for passengers missing after two buses were swept into the Trishuli River by a landslide. The incident occurred on July 12 along the Narayanghat-Muglin road in Nepal's Bagmati province.

The Indian team, which includes four divers, arrived in Chitwan on Saturday at Nepal's request. They brought specialised equipment, including three sonar cameras, to aid in the search operation. The team is expected to assist for seven days, according to Chitwan's Chief District Officer Indradev Yadav.

Of the 65 passengers on the two buses, 19 bodies have been recovered so far. Three passengers managed to swim to safety. The search has been challenging, with bodies found as far as 100 kilometres downstream. Only 15 of the recovered bodies have been confirmed as passengers from the missing buses.

Seven Indian nationals were among the passengers, with three bodies recovered. Sources indicate that at least four of the recovered bodies were of Indian origin.

The Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force have been conducting search operations since the incident, with limited success. The fast-flowing, murky waters of the Trishuli River, swollen by heavy monsoon rains, have complicated rescue efforts.