Twenty-one passengers were killed and 35 others were injured in a tragic road accident in the early hours of yesterday. An SLTB bus plunged into a 100-foot precipice near the famous Gerandi Ella waterfall in Ramboda.

According to a survivor, the bus was descending the Ramboda Pass at a high speed when the driver suddenly applied brakes. “The bus veered off to the left and plunged into the ravine,” the survivor told the media. “People were screaming. It was pitch dark — we couldn’t see anything.”

The passenger, who narrowly escaped, said the bus had rolled over several times before coming to a halt. He said he had managed to crawl out of the bus and rescue about seven or eight others who were trapped inside. “Many children were injured. We got them out first and lifted them up from the precipice,” he said, adding that villagers had soon arrived to rescue others.

The accident occurred around 4:30 a.m. The bus was on its way to Kurunegala from Kataragama via Nuwara Eliya. There had been about 75 passengers on board, many of whom were returning home for the Vesak holidays, police said.

Among the deceased is the 38-year-old driver of the bus, Kalum Chandana. All passengers sustained injuries. The victims were rushed to the Kotmale Hospital, while the seriously injured were later transferred to Peradeniya, Nuwara Eliya, Gampola, and Nawalapitiya hospitals. Rescue operations were particularly harrowing. One mother and her child remained trapped under the bus until noon. A crane had to be brought in to lift the vehicle. The delay in reaching the injured is believed to have contributed to several deaths, according to hospital sources.

The force of the crash left several bodies trapped beneath the wreckage, and some passengers — including those seated in front — managed to jump out and escape as the bus began to fall. However, many others were asleep and were unable to react in time.

The Kotmale Police are continuing investigations into the cause of the crash, which is suspected to have been triggered by a mechanical failure while the bus was travelling at excessive speed.

by Norman Palihawadane and Hemantha Randunu