Kathmandu, April 22 (IANS): The Indian government is sending a special aircraft to Kathmandu to air-lift the bodies and survivors of Wednesday's bus accident in Nepal in which 17 people were killed and 28 others injured, an official said.

The Indian government will be sending a special plane on Thursday to bring back home the dead as well as survivors of the tragic bus accident, said the Indian embassy in Kathmandu in a statement, adding that the embassy was liaising with Nepali authorities for early completion of formalities to send the bodies to India.

"India sends IL 76 aircraft to bring back mortal remains of victims of tragic bus accident in Nepal. Aircraft to reach Kathmandu tonight (Wednesday night)," Vikas Swarup, Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson, tweeted.

Seventeen people were killed and 28 others injured when a bus carrying 45 Indian pilgrims plunged into a river while negotiating a sharp bend along a downhill section of the Prithvi Highway in Nepal. They were returning to India after offering prayers at the famed Pashupati Nath temple in Kathmandu.