The deceased has been identified as Chattra Bahadur Thapa, the driver of the tanker, according to DSP Bal Krishna Bhattarai of Majhimtar police station. "However, the identity of the missing passenger, who had boarded the tanker from Narayanghat for Dhading, has yet to be confirmed." [break]
"Bimal Thapaliya of Charaudi, Dhading, who had also boarded the vehicle from Narayanghat for Dhading, is reportedly out of contact since the mishap," said DSP Bhattarai. The search for the missing is underway.
As many as three persons were traveling in the ill-fated tanker.
Meanwhile, police rescued Prakash Poudel, co-driver of the tanker alive. The police, who had reached the site immediately after other vehicles plying the highway informed about the accident, had rescued him alive with support from Deepak Maharjan, a local swimmer, said Dhirendra Bista, a traffic police office.
He also said the police could recover the co-driver alive as he was shouting for help. "I had never thought I would survive. I am alive because of timely rescue," Poudel told this correspondent in his brief interaction after the rescue.
Though he hasn´t received any physical injury, Poudel has been taken to a Kathmandu-based hospital as he remains psychologically disturbed after the accident.
The tanker had already been swept some 200 meters away by the raging waters of the Trishuli River from the accident site by the time Poudel was rescued. Police believe that the accident occurred due to slippery road caused by the rains.
"Due to the heavy rain on Thurday night, the water level in the river has increased. It is hampering the search for the missing passenger," said DSP.
Related story
Driver trapped, helper missing after tanker plunges into Trishu...
