Nepal bus accident: Air Force plane to bring back bodies of 24 Indians

A special Indian Air Force plane has been arranged to bring the bodies of 24 tourists, who were killed in a road accident in Nepal, to Nashik.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who oversees the disaster relief and rehabilitation department, spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior central officials on Friday regarding the repatriation of bodies of 24 Indians among 27 tourists killed in a road accident in Nepal.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Amit Shah assured CM Shinde of the full cooperation from the central government.

In response to the Chief Minister’s request, a special Indian Air Force plane has been arranged to bring the bodies of 24 tourists to Nashik. The deceased hailed from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district. The flight will reach Nashik on Saturday and the bodies will then be handed over to their families.

According to officials, the bodies have been kept at Aabukhaireni Village Council and the identification of bodies is underway. The bus was en route to Kathmandu from Pokhara when it met with the accident.

As many as 27 tourists were killed after a bus carrying around 43 passengers mostly Indian tourists, veered off the road into the Marsyangdi River at Ainapahara in Nepal’s Tanahun District.

Chief Minister requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to expedite the repatriation. The central government has appointed a special officer for coordination.

CM Shinde earlier offered condolences over the deaths and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families.