Flood-Swept Cruise Vessel Lodges Against Narayani Bridge
Crews are cutting the roughly 60-tonne vessel into sections as authorities restrict heavy vehicles over the bridge.
A cruise vessel swept away by flooding in Nepal’s Narayani River became lodged against a bridge pillar on the Gaindakot side, according to Arjun Ghimire, an engineer with the Division Road Office in Chitwan.
The vessel had been moored to a tree near the riverbank before it was carried downstream. Authorities began removal work on Sunday evening amid concern that the rising river and obstructed water flow could threaten the bridge.
Ghimire said the vessel weighs about 60 tonnes and cannot be removed intact. Recovery crews plan to cut it into sections, with three cranes brought in to support the operation.
Authorities have restricted heavy-vehicle traffic across the Narayani Bridge since Sunday evening as the recovery proceeds. The vessel was previously used to operate tourist river cruises on the Narayani.