KATMANDU: A Nepal bus packed with people, including Israeli tourists and locals heading home for a Hindu festival, veered off a mountain highway, killing 14 and injuring dozens, police said Saturday.

Among those killed Friday were two Israelis, including a woman who was part of a group heading to the Langtang trekking area. Israeli media reported four other Israelis were among the dozens of injured, 20 of whom remained in hospitals.

The bus was carrying nearly 100 people, most of them Nepalese who were heading home to celebrate the Diwali festival with their families.

It drove about 100 meters off the road down a steep slope. Police were investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred about 50 kilometers west of the capital, Katmandu.

Poor maintenance of roads and vehicles contributes to many accidents in mountainous Nepal.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2014