A night of celebration turned into an unimaginable nightmare in West Nepal after a bus carrying an entire wedding party careened off a narrow mountain road and dropped roughly 650 feet into a rocky gorge. Thirteen people were killed instantly or shortly after the crash, and 34 more were rushed to hospitals with devastating injuries. Officials warn the death toll may climb.
The bus was packed with guests returning to the groom’s home village when it suddenly veered off the winding cliffside route near Budgaun village, a remote area about 310 miles west of Kathmandu. Witnesses described a deafening crash echoing through the mountains as the vehicle disappeared over the edge and tumbled into darkness.
Rescue teams with the Nepal Police scrambled down the steep ravine, pulling survivors from twisted metal and shattered glass as cries for help echoed across the valley. Several passengers were found trapped beneath seats and debris, while others had been thrown from the bus during the violent fall.
Authorities say the bride and groom survived only because they were not riding in the bus at the time. The grim irony hasn’t been lost on locals, who described the scene as “the worst possible ending to a wedding anyone could imagine.”
Police confirmed that the youngest victim was just 13 years old. Six people died at the crash site, and seven more passed away at nearby hospitals despite frantic attempts to save them.
The cause of the crash remains a mystery. Investigators are exploring whether mechanical failure, weather conditions, driver fatigue, or a sudden road obstacle may have played a role. The bus driver has been taken into custody, though authorities have not yet announced charges.
Locals familiar with the region say the route is notorious for narrow paths, sharp turns, and steep drops with little room for error. Roads in this area have a history of deadly incidents, and villagers describe driving them as “a gamble every time.”
The tragedy has drawn comparisons to another horrifying wedding-party disaster in January 2025, when a truck carrying guests in Ethiopia plunged off a bridge into a river, killing 71 people. Both incidents highlight the deadly risks rural travelers face when long, winding roads collide with overcrowded vehicles and unforgiving terrain.
What should have been a joyous celebration of two families coming together has instead become a national tragedy—one marked by grief, unanswered questions, and a community shattered by a single terrifying plunge off a mountainside.
And the Democrats want to bring that kind of highway traffic safety to America. REEEEEEEE!
😢🙏🙏🙏