Three people died, and three others went missing after a motorboat crashed at Triveni in Sangurigadhi Rural Municipality-10, Dhankuta district, on Sunday afternoon. One injured passenger is receiving treatment at Chatara Hospital.

According to the Dhankuta District Police Office, the boat, fitted with an outboard motor, was carrying 15 passengers and its operator from Kopche in Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality-9, Bhojpur district, to Chatara in Barahakshetra, Sunsari district. The accident occurred at around 2 pm.

Preliminary reports suggest the accident was caused by brake failure. Narayan Ranjitkar, superintendent of police in Dhankuta, said police rescued 12 people, including the boat operator, and took them to Chatara Hospital for treatment.

Three people died during treatment, police said. One was identified as 52-year-old Lila Rai of Barahakshetra Municipality-1 in Sunsari. The other two were a girl aged about six and a man aged around 40. Their identities have yet to be established.

Mohan Sunar, 31, of Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality-4 in Bhojpur, was injured in the accident. His condition is normal, and he is receiving treatment at Chatara Hospital, police said.

Some passengers managed to swim to safety, while other rescued passengers have returned home, according to police. The boat operator, Suman Magar, 24, of Barahakshetra Municipality-1, has been taken into police custody.

The three people still missing are Shivak Magar, seven, the son of Nita Magar of Kankai Municipality-4 in Jhapa; Pramila Magar, 21; and Manu Rai, 22, both from Barahakshetra Municipality-1 in Sunsari.

The police said that search and rescue operations are underway.