Dailekh Karnali River Accident: Missing Vehicle Raises Safety And Passenger Record Concerns
A Force passenger vehicle travelling from Surkhet to Kalikot plunged about 400 metres into the Karnali River at Sangetada, Dailekh, on Thursday morning, and the vehicle has still not been recovered due to high, muddy water and difficult terrain. Authorities have confirmed one death, but the exact number of passengers remains unclear, with reports differing from around 5 passengers to an estimated 14 people on board.
A passenger Force vehicle of Bulbule Yatayat Pvt Ltd, travelling from Surkhet towards Kalikot, plunged into the Karnali River near Sangetada in Chamunda Bindrasaini Municipality-7 of Dailekh on Thursday morning at around 11:30 AM. The vehicle, bearing registration number Karnali Province 02-001 Kha 1055, reportedly went out of control on the Karnali Highway and fell nearly 400 metres down into the river. However, the exact reason behind the accident has not yet been confirmed.
More than 24 hours after the accident, authorities are still unable to confirm how many people were travelling inside the vehicle. Initial police information suggests around 5 to 6 passengers may have been on board, but the final number is still being checked. The uncertainty has raised serious questions because vehicles usually pass through several checkpoints between Surkhet and Sangetada.
A search and rescue operation is being carried out with the help of Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, APF divers, and security personnel from the Upper Karnali Hydropower Project area. A team of 6 APF divers has been deployed in the river, while more than 50 security personnel are involved in the wider search operation.
Police say the search has become extremely difficult because continuous rain and flooding have increased the water level of the Karnali River. The muddy water, strong current, and steep accident site have made it hard for rescuers to locate the submerged vehicle.
Some vehicle seats and around 4 to 5 mobile phones have been recovered from the crash area so far. One body found stuck on a cliff has been identified as 54-year-old Jekhe Tiruwa of Pachal Jharana Rural Municipality-9, Kalikot.
The accident has once again raised concern over road safety on the Karnali Highway, passenger record-keeping, and emergency response in difficult riverside routes. Since the exact passenger number is still unknown, the incident has also exposed possible weaknesses in vehicle monitoring through checkpoints.
Published 2 hours ago in Nepal