The government has decided to seek technical support and equipment from the government of India and China for the search of the two buses missing with passengers in the Trishuli River since July 12.

Concluding that Nepali resources alone are insufficient to locate the missing buses, the government has initiated the process of bringing special equipment from the two neighbouring countries.

Home Secretary for the federal government Eaknarayan Aryal, who visited the incident site along with security chiefs of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force to monitor the search and rescue operations, said that the government had requested for the equipment from the embassies of the respective countries.

“The search for the buses and passengers will now proceed more rapidly. The embassies of China and India are positive about providing the necessary equipment for the search operations,” he told journalists gathered at the rescue site in Chitwan on Sunday.

Regarding the type of equipment to be brought, Secretary Aryal said that the decision will be made after determining the depth of the Trishuli River. “The equipment will be requested based on the river’s depth. The embassy officials are also positive about bringing the equipment at the earliest possible,” he added.

Despite having a contingency plan in place, the accident was catastrophic, Secretary Aryal said, emphasising that their top priority is to identify the missing bodies and provide relief to the families of the deceased.

Two buses with 65 passengers have been missing in the Trishuli River since Friday morning in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-29, Simaltaal.

The two missing night buses include Ganapati Deluxe Bagmati Province 001 Kha 2495 traveling from Kathmandu to Gaur and Angels Dealers Bagmati Province 03-006 Kha-1516 travelling from Birgunj to Kathmandu.