KATHMANDU: During the search for buses that were swept into the Trishuli River by a landslide in Simaltal, Chitwan district, a 19 kg magnet lost by the Indian search team has been recovered. The Angel Deluxe bus and the Ganapati Deluxe bus were caught in the landslide on July 12, leading to their immersion in the Trishuli River.

The Indian team, which had been using two magnets for the search, lost the 19 kg magnet on Saturday. The magnet, along with a life buoy tube, was found in the Narayani River at Kavreghat the following day. Despite their efforts, the team was unable to locate the missing buses due to high water flow.

The buses, which were carrying 65 passengers, resulted in 62 people going missing, with only 3 survivors. So far, 24 bodies have been recovered, 19 of which have been identified. The search operation continues, but five bodies remain unidentified.