As of January 17, 2026, the recovery operation is in full swing at Dwandrang Bensi in Aanbukhaireni, Tanahun. The wreckage was initially spotted on January 11 by local fishermen whose nets got caught on a submerged object. Since then, a joint task force comprising the Armed Police Force (APF) and Nepal Police has been working tirelessly to excavate the vehicle. The situation is technically challenging because the bus is buried under several meters of heavy riverbed sand and silt. Excavators and heavy-duty cranes have been mobilized to the riverbank, and security personnel are carefully digging around the chassis to prevent the wreckage from breaking apart further under the pressure of the moving water.
The identification of the bus as the Ganapati Deluxe (Bagmati Province-03-001 Kha 2495) was officially confirmed on January 13. During the third day of excavation, divers and rescue teams managed to clear enough sand to reveal a side panel clearly bearing the words “Ganapati Deluxe.” This confirmation has shifted the focus of the operation from “searching” to “evidence and remains recovery.” While the bus is severely mangled—with its roof completely sheared off and its internal structure filled with mud—authorities are checking every inch of the cabin for any human remains or personal belongings that might have survived the 18-month burial.
Background: The Simaltal Tragedy
This bus was one of two vehicles (the other being the Angel Deluxe) that were swept into the Trishuli River by a massive landslide at Simaltal on the Narayanghat-Muglin road on July 12, 2024. The disaster resulted in the disappearance of 62 passengers, with only three survivors from the Ganapati Deluxe managing to swim to safety. For over a year, the fate of the buses remained a mystery, even after high-tech search teams from India were brought in with sonar equipment shortly after the accident. The fact that the wreckage was found only 200 to 300 meters from the original accident site highlights how deeply the river had buried the vehicles in its bed.
What Happens Next?
The District Administration Office of Chitwan, led by Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal, has stated that the intensity of the search will now increase to locate the second missing bus, the Angel Deluxe, which is believed to be buried in the same vicinity. For the families of the 51 passengers who are still officially listed as missing, this discovery is bittersweet. While it confirms the tragic end, it offers the first real hope of finding remains for traditional last rites. The site remains a restricted zone as police continue the delicate process of pulling the remains of the Ganapati Deluxe out of the riverbed entirely.