Five people died while 11 were injured in a jeep accident in Tuli, Banphikot Rural Municipality ward 8 of West Rukum, on Thursday morning.

The vehicle, with 16 people on board including the driver, was travelling towards Musikot from Ghiudhunga in Sanibheri Rural Municipality when it crashed.

According to Namaraj Bhattarai, head of the district police office, the deceased have been identified as Karna Batha Magar, 70, Deochan Khatri, 48, and 23-year-old Sitala Kusari from ward 5 of Sanibheri. Twenty-two-year-old Rekha Khatri from Banphikot Rural Municipality-8 and her infant son were also among the deceased.

Bishnu Prasad Shrestha, information officer at the district police office, said that the seriously injured have been airlifted to Nepalgunj Medical College Teaching Hospital in Kohalpur by a Nepal Army helicopter, while the other injured were taken to the District Hospital in Salle for treatment. Two people with minor injuries were discharged from the district hospital on Thursday evening.

“Preliminary investigations have revealed that the cause of the accident might be brake failure,” said Bhattarai. “The road the vehicle was travelling on is narrow and the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle plunged some 500 metres from the road.”

Bhattarai added this road section, which sees heavy local traffic, is risky for vehicles trying to manoeuvre sharp bends and turns.

Road accidents occur frequently in West Rukum district where the topography is difficult. According to the data of the district police office, in the last two years, 35 people have died and 16 people have been injured in road accidents in the district.