Ella–Wellawaya bus tragedy echoes past accident

The fatal bus accident that occurred on 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 down the precipice. However, in Thursday’s tragedy, the bus had first hit 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 down the precipice in Passara, in the same district where Thursday’s accident took place.