A Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) spokesperson said: “We are providing consular assistance to one New Zealander involved in a bus crash in Nepal”.
Relatives of victims who were killed in the bus accident wait to receive bodies at a healthcare centre in Gajuri, Dhading district. Photo / Sanjaya Shrestha / AFP
“No further information can be provided for privacy reasons.”
Mohan Prasad Neupane, information officer at the district administration office, said the rescue operation had been completed by dawn.
“The injured are undergoing treatment.”
In July 2024, two buses with more than 50 people on board were swept off the highway into the same river after a landslide.
Deadly crashes are relatively common in the Himalayan republic because of poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.
New Zealand travellers are also being warned of increased violence in Mexico after the death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho”.
A US Government poster from 2024.
Cervantes, a former police officer and leader of the feared Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) drug cartel, died in a shootout with Mexico’s military over the weekend.
Cervantes’ death has triggered multiple violent skirmishes across the country, with local authorities responding to arson attacks, road blocks and clashes with organised crime groups.
Several Mexican states are being impacted by “ongoing security issues”, causing transportation delays and flight cancellations, a MFAT spokesperson said.
With 83 New Zealanders registered as being in Mexico on SafeTravel, the spokesperson said the ministry had been in touch with several of them to offer advice and assistance.
“We encourage all New Zealanders to register on SafeTravel, and to contact the Embassy should they require consular assistance,” the spokesperson said.
Kiwis in Mexico “should monitor local media for updates and follow the advice of local authorities” and contact their travel provider about any potential disruptions, they added.
– Agence France-Presse, additional reporting by NZ Herald