At least 12 passengers were killed, dozens injured, many of them seriously, when a state owned Sajha bus en route to Kathmandu from Beni Bazar of Myagdi district skidded off the road and fell into the Modi river at Phyaple of Parvat district Monday morning, reports said.

According to police, 11 injured passengers have been taken to Pokhara for treatment while five passengers are still missing. Police are searching for the missing passengers.

Five tourists were also injured in the accident.

Among the injured tourists, four are Israelis and one is Austrian. The Austrian national is undergoing treatment at Kushma Hospital in Parvat where as the four Israelis are undergoing treatment at Mahendra Regional Hospital Pokhara, a Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) press release said.

The NTB release, citing hospital sources said that one Israeli citizen, Hyreller, is in critical condition. Other Israelis injured in the mishap are Nil Yeshaya, Lital Yaron and Oren Pienkany.

Similarly, the release quoting police sources in Kathmandu said that the name of the Austrian tourist injured in the accident is Lily and she is 20 yrs old.

The release also said that the Crisis Response Action Unit of NTB has established contacts with the concerned embassies and assured of the help if needed.

No public vehicles, except for the state owned Sajha buses, are plying along the highway due to the strike called by the Maoists in the region. nepalnews.com amt/pd Sep 13 04