AKIPRESS.COM - A bus plunged off a mountain highway near Nepal’s capital on Wednesday, killing at least 17 Indian pilgrims and injuring 27 others, Indian media report citing authorities.

The bus veered off the Prithvi highway about 16 km (10 miles) west of Kathmandu, police officer Tejendra told The Hindu. He said the bus fell about 300 meters (1,000 feet) before it slammed into trees at the bottom of a hill.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu confirmed the death toll and said five of the 27 injured people were in critical condition and getting treatment at various hospitals in Kathmandu. One person was reported to be missing, reports The Indian Express.

The bus was carrying Hindu pilgrims from the Indian state of Gujrat on a visit to the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. They were returning home Wednesday morning when the bus plunged off the highway.

The bodies were not immediately identified.