Fifteen killed in Sri Lanka passenger bus accident

COLOMBO: At least 15 people were killed in Sri Lanka after a passenger bus plunged into a 1,000-foot ravine near Wellawaya, about 280 kilometers east of Colombo, late Thursday night.

According to police spokesman Fredrick Wootler, 16 others, including five children, sustained injuries in the accident. Nearly 30 passengers were onboard at the time.

The dead include nine women. They all were employees of the Tangalle Urban Council.

Officials said the injured have been admitted to the Badulla Teaching Hospital, with several said to be in critical condition,

Initial investigations suggest the driver was speeding when he lost control of the bus. The vehicle collided with another car, struck roadside barriers, and then fell into the deep gorge.

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Television footage showed the mangled bus at the bottom of the cliff as soldiers, police, and volunteers carried out overnight rescue operations to retrieve the injured.

Given the rough terrain, rescue efforts involved police, the army, the air force, the fire department and local residents, police said, adding that operations continued till around 4 a.m. local time on Friday.

Deadly bus accidents are frequent in Sri Lanka, particularly in the hilly regions, where narrow, poorly maintained roads and reckless driving often lead to tragedies.

 Sri Lanka sees around 3,000 road deaths each year, ranking its roads among the most hazardous worldwide.

In April 2005, 37 passengers lost their lives in Polgahawela when a bus driver tried to outrun a train at a level crossing.

More recently, in March 2021, 13 passengers and a bus driver were killed after their vehicle plunged into a ravine in Passara.