Racing event tragedy leaves seven dead including eight-year-old child

21 April 2024 04:05 pm - 42 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Colombo, April 21 (Daily Mirror) - The Fox Hill Super Cross 2024 racing event, held in Diyatalawa today (21), turned tragic as a race car veered off the track, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals including an eight-year-old child and leaving over 20 others hospitalized with injuries.

According to Police Media Spokesman, DIG Nihal Thalduwa, the accident occurred when two race cars lost control and collided with a group of spectators.

The deceased are residents of Avissawella, Matara, Akuressa and Seeduwa.

The injured who were rushed to the Diyatalawa Base Hospital are currently receiving treatment.

Furthermore, three individuals who sustained critical injuries have been transferred to the Badulla Hospital.

In light of the mishap, the rest of the races at the event have been cancelled.

The 28th edition of the Fox Hill Super Cross, organized by the Sri Lanka Military Academy Diyatalawa in collaboration with Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS), commenced in Diyatalawa on Sunday, April 21st.

Tissa Fernando Sunday, 21 April 2024 04:26 PM

Similar drivers are racing on the streets everyday. May this time one of them tried the race track . Poor spectators.

Pay Incentives to the Public and Police Wednesday, 24 April 2024 06:24 AM

Correct. If only the traffic police had a dedicated team during the night to catch them. Incentivise the public to report and police for every car caught, Rs10000/- to the team of officers to share. Impound the cars caught and sell off those expensive racing equipments to registered racing car clubs at a discount to pay for the public and police incentives.

Gabriella Sunday, 21 April 2024 05:03 PM

Sri Lankan safety standards. It takes a tragedy for lessons to be learnt. It is like a plane crash; 300 plus people die, but, aviation safety improves as a result. Just look at the stupidity of one row of tiers lining the cliff wall to absorb the force from the impact of a high speed crash.

Nimal Sunday, 21 April 2024 05:17 PM

Undoubtedly, the safety of the spectators have not been taken into consideration at all. The organizers are responsible for all these deaths and suffering of these people.

Sr. Nimali Sunday, 21 April 2024 05:24 PM

The day, not a good one for Sri Lanka. This is regretably a tragic accident. 5 years ago it was unforgettable massacre.

Racer Sunday, 21 April 2024 05:42 PM

Badly organised. A novice way. There should have been proper fences to protect the public. I hope the cars were mechanically tested before taking part.Sri Lanka has a long way to go, to organise such races. Hope the runners were well insured to pay damages to the death and injured.

Spartacus Sunday, 21 April 2024 05:55 PM

Wat can u expect in a country of monkeys. The drivers themselves are not scientific race drivers but monkeys given the wheel to drive fast. Spectators are equally monkeys to watch a race track where vehicles travel at 200kmph without a single safety barricade where they watch. The organizers are another group of monkeys whose intention is to make maximum crooked money with lowest safety, discipline and regulatory methods and filters.

Lakmal Kahawela Sunday, 21 April 2024 06:12 PM

Sri Lanka does not follow proper health and safety procedures prior to these types of events

sanjeew Sunday, 21 April 2024 06:26 PM

All good professional officers and soldiers who fought battles were sidelined and made to leave the Army in discontentment. This is how rotten leftovers organize a simple event.

Jayantha Jay Sunday, 21 April 2024 06:50 PM

Safety is paramount but motor racing will never be run without element of risk. People opting to participate in motorsports racing do so understanding the risks to themselves. For many, the risk and the rush is part of why they choose to participate. Those attending the event, however, have every right to expect to be as safe there as they would at any type of event. The greater issue comes into play when you consider spectator safety. Spectators should be able to go to watch an event with a reasonable expectation of being safe at it. Spectators have a responsibility both to look after themselves and to positively engage with the volunteers / marshals / staff there looking to help keep them safe. With vehicles traveling at extreme speed there is always the risk of an accident and it's quite possible that accident might injure or kill spectators.

Emsee Sunday, 21 April 2024 06:57 PM

Should not the organizers and the authorities who approved the event be held responsible for the lack of basic safety requirements?

Be Fair Sunday, 21 April 2024 07:11 PM

Sad day indeed. FOXHILL has been a looked forward to event in the racing calendar. The Videos clearly show the lack of any safety measures including barriers. 4 fatalities are Officials. The Red flag was not out after the 1st vehicle toppled. Wonder why the Organisers failed in such a manner,

Sanka Sunday, 21 April 2024 07:33 PM

No safety at all, All the other motor races, they used Concrete barriers and various other methods. Seen even before, in Sri Lanka people are watching just behind the track without even bothering about any safety.

Simple Sam Sunday, 21 April 2024 07:35 PM

Curiosity kills the cat!

Jeanne Monday, 22 April 2024 02:46 AM

Wow! Take a day off being a jackass, Sam. Such cruel comments should be withheld out of respect for the victims.

DHA Sunday, 21 April 2024 07:39 PM

Initially when both the cars toppled the marshals should’ve red flagged and stopped the race instead they were showing the caution flag (yellow) and continued the race ! Really sad this incident could’ve been avoided….

KCR Monday, 22 April 2024 07:45 AM

Fully agree. You know the rules applicable to motor racing. In place of flags, digital light displays should be implemented, will be visible through dust and prevent marshals getting injured. Spartacus reply above of ‘monkeys’ shows ignorance of a hugely popular sport world over.

Joe Sunday, 21 April 2024 08:05 PM

No flagging system to warn the other drivers and slow down the race after an accident? Organisers should be trialed for murder!

A worrìed Muslim Sunday, 21 April 2024 08:45 PM

A tragic news. May the injured people recover soon by d grace of Almighty Allah

Dee Sunday, 21 April 2024 11:08 PM

A future NPP government will stop all these nonsense, car racing is for elite . For new year people can enjoy bullock cart racing!

Jeanne Monday, 22 April 2024 02:53 AM

@Dee : You're unbelievable. Why do you need to politicise this tragic accident? Car racing is for the elite - but I bet you the spectators were normal, fun loving people. Maybe you should be the bull that draws the cart in next year's events. Pathetic!

Prem Monday, 22 April 2024 02:58 AM

Only an idiot like you can make political comments on this sad incident. Because of you people make Sri Lanka ashamed state.

Jordan Monday, 22 April 2024 05:23 AM

Definitely such a tragedy would never happen in a NPP govt because NPP believe in safety and standard and procedure. We will uplift the peopol like never before, providing fair value and money for all. Vote NPP for safe events. Vote NPP for life

Tissa Fernando Monday, 22 April 2024 08:35 AM

You never know , may be they will become elite and want it too. They are also people right.

Sammy Monday, 22 April 2024 12:03 AM

What a tragedy! May the demised find peace and may their loved ones find solace. Surely something wrong with the organizing.

Aquarius Monday, 22 April 2024 01:56 AM

I have seen videos of the accident. How on earth do the organisers expect the drivers to drive safely with all that dust the cars were creating? It is suicidal!! It is criminal to put participants and spectators lives at risk with such total ignorance.

Jeanne Monday, 22 April 2024 02:51 AM

There is absolutely ZERO excuse for this tragedy. It could have been averted if only the organisers did their research on how these events are run on a global level. While this may not be a F1 Grand Prix event, safety standards should be the same. RIP to those unfortunate victims. And to those in hospital, may your recovery be speedy and complete. May God give you the strength to overcome your misfortune.

Si Monday, 22 April 2024 03:00 AM

Not Safety standard and protocols lead to this tragedy. When Military arrange its 100% stupid plan..

Mohamed Monday, 22 April 2024 04:14 AM

Very poor Health and Safety Procedures, a country where paramedics wear ties and suits and get down to the ambulance thinking of pride. We are at a very primitive stage of safety and lack awareness of safety and risk analysis.

Ylg Monday, 22 April 2024 07:11 AM

The organisers are completely to be blamed for not taking basic safety precautions. Suppose it will be ignored as the army are the organisers.

Punchi Monday, 22 April 2024 07:38 AM

@Spartacus Are you a friend of Victor Oztrosk the jew who writes in the book ‘by way of deception’ that the Lankans came down from the trees fairly recently’. In world WW2 propaganda films the primary European axis power showed the jew as rodents invading Europe

Esther Cohen Monday, 22 April 2024 11:07 AM

What kind of statement do you want to make here other than to boast that you have read Victor Ostrovsky's book?

Jayantha Monday, 22 April 2024 08:01 AM

Veey poorly orgnized. Organizers should be held responsible for the deaths. Also they have organized a dj party right after this tragic accident. Legal action shouldbe taken against the organizers

Military Organisers Won’t Be Prosecuted Monday, 22 April 2024 04:35 PM

They won’t hold the organisers to task as it’s the Military - period.

Sokrates Monday, 22 April 2024 08:35 AM

They think they can do everything in Sri Lanka but they can't do nothing. 1. A race track with no safety precautions that is barely sufficient for mountain bike racing. Ancient junk vehicles that are completely unsuitable for racing. 3. Drivers without any professional racing training. All of these inadequacies then lead to fatal accidents. Such races should not take place in Sri Lanka.

Waco Monday, 22 April 2024 08:53 AM

Idiots were at the wheels. Poor lives of innocent people.

Jeanne Monday, 22 April 2024 10:03 AM

@Sokrates : You forgot 2.

Zaid Aboobucker Monday, 22 April 2024 02:53 PM

So sad. So many lives lost including an eight year old. Negligence at some point. Families must be going through trauma. Deepest sympathies

speed kills Monday, 22 April 2024 06:25 PM

Motor Racing is not meant for the faint hearted Sri Lankan driver who don't have the knowledge or driving skills to participate in the sport. Besides they don't have the resources to maintain a lifestyl relative to the sport. Even the vehicles imported to the country are second hand reconditioned vehicles picked from the junkyards of Japan.

Rajan V Pillai Wednesday, 24 April 2024 05:13 AM

There is no doubt that precautions taken was not suffice. It appears that the SL Automobile Sports Association is totally negligent. I do not think there was an Insurance cover . This is a high risk sports for participants and spectators. Spectators should have been briefed about the risk element. When I was young in early 1950's there were annual racing around the Kandy Lake with very high precautionary measures. The final verdict is well known that no one is accountable, but it is an Act of God. SL top Army Officers are Officers and Gentlemen of highest Calibre. An unbiased report could be expected.

Inshi Wednesday, 24 April 2024 08:35 AM

Dust from the track during a race certainly obscures the view of any driver. No one does it intentionally but common sense should have prevailed. Trained personnel would have taken precaution and watered the track as has been seen in the past. This is a good eye-opener. No one should die as a result. In simple terms, do people drive fast in a dust or rain storm or with mist ? No! Excuses should not be tolerated. Spectator safety too should have been taken seriously. Sad. May the Souls of those who paid with their lives rest in peace and may God comfort the poor families.

Ronnie Wednesday, 24 April 2024 12:26 PM

21st century still we have no prooer guidelines procedures safty measures in place....key officials must take responsibility when holding events that can cause injuries even deaths to participants and spectators very sad to see lifes been taken away and many are suffering from injuries..safty come first

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Racing event tragedy leaves seven dead including eight-year-old child

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