Kathmandu | At least 18 people were killed when a passenger bus fell into the Trishuli river near Gajuri in the Dhading district of Nepal early morning on Monday.

Twenty-six passengers were injured in the accident that occurred when the bus coming towards Kathmandu from Pokhara plunged into the Trishuli river along the Prithvi Highway, about 90 km west of Kathmandu at 1.30 am, according to Bishnu Prasad Bhatta, spokesperson at the Armed Police Force.

Seventeen bodies have been recovered from the accident site and 28 injured passengers have been rescued from the bus, according to Bhatta. The injured passengers have been admitted to different hospitals for treatment. Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel have been mobilised to carry out rescue work.

Among those killed in the accident, one male passenger is from New Zealand. One Japanese and a Dutch national, both women, were among those injured in the incident.

Although the exact reason of the accident could not yet been ascertained, the police said that over speeding might be the reason behind the accident.