Ella–Wellawaya bus tragedy echoes past accident in 2002

5 September 2025 06:08 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 10 Bookmark

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Colombo, Sept. 5 (Daily Mirror) - The fatal bus accident that occurred last night (September 04) on the Ella–Wellawaya main road has drawn eerie parallels to a similar tragedy reported at the very same location 23 years ago.

According to records, in September 2002, a bus fell into a precipice at the 24th milepost, killing 21 people. That accident happened on the same day and almost at the same time as Thursday’s crash.

In both cases, the buses plunged into a precipice. However, in last night’s tragedy, the bus was first hit by a jeep before veering off the road.

Deadly bus accidents have become a recurring tragedy in Sri Lanka. In May this year, 21 people died when a bus travelling from Kataragama to Kurunegala crashed. In March 2021, 13 passengers and a driver were killed when a bus plunged into a precipice in Passara, in the same district where Thursday’s accident took place.

Comments - 10

Concerned Citizen Friday, 05 September 2025 07:00 PM

Arrest ALL the bus owners who are not maintaining their vehicles and all officials who issue permits for these buses to run without checking road worthiness. Most bus owners are either connected to politicians or police officers and this is the reason the owners go scot free !

1 24

Dr Tissa Fernando Friday, 05 September 2025 10:49 PM

The bus owners is a powerful NPP member. That is why he did not even bother removing the fittings.

6 3

Cugan Friday, 05 September 2025 08:22 PM

The transportation should be by mini buses for upcountry not by this giant buses ....

0 26

Bernard Friday, 05 September 2025 08:48 PM

Almost all these tragedies are due to reckless, drug driving

0 26

Brian jayawardena Friday, 05 September 2025 10:53 PM

Spooky @the 24 miles post similar incident 23 years ago!

12 0

මෝඩ කැලුම් Saturday, 06 September 2025 12:52 PM

Why not 25? It's a round number, right?

0 11

Wijedasa Saturday, 06 September 2025 01:11 AM

Road discipline in Sri Lanka is extremely poor. Traffic police is employed aimlessly without goals to achieve. Minister in charge of Police is involved in witch hunting. A Clueless Fool

0 4

Lucky Saturday, 06 September 2025 07:32 AM

Bus owner is responsible for maintaining the good condition of the bus. Driver is responsible for safe and responsible driving. None of those have happened in these incidents. In Sri Lanka, bus owners are greedy mudalalees. Bus drivers are drug addicts with thug mentality plus zero sense.

0 9

Anton G Saturday, 06 September 2025 08:57 AM

How can we ensure that private bus owners maintain their buses to the highest safety standards ? Do they have resources to do so? Who is regulating the skills of their drivers and the mechanical safety of the buses ? I personally always choose SLTB buses, which I believe are better maintained.

2 5

Dr. Dee esquire Saturday, 06 September 2025 09:00 PM

Are you from another planet?

0 1

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