20th January 2023 23:51:53 Hours
A large contingent of 112 Infantry Brigade troops of the 11 Division under the Security Force HQ-Central were among the firsts to reach Radella on being informed that a bus with 41 Grade 10 students, 8 teachers and parents after a collision with a van and a three wheeler along Nuwara Eliya - Hatton road around 7.00 pm on Friday (20) evening had slid into a precipice of more than 75 ft in depth.
Reports said that the bus driver had lost control of the bus after it developed a technical defect and crashed into the van carrying 7 civilians and a three wheeler with 4 passengers. At least 40 students of Colombo Thurstan College in the bus returning after a picnic had sustained injuries and taken to Nuwara Eliya hospital, reports confirmed.
Early reports further said that the bus had lost control and veered off before it has had a head-on collision against the van and the three wheeler before it fell into the precipitous cliff, according to reports reaching Colombo. 6 civilians out of 7 in the van and one passenger out of 4 in the three wheeler were pronounced dead on admission to the Nuwara Eliya Hospital.
More than 20 soldiers and one officer of the 3 (V) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) who were in the area at the time of the tragedy with the help of civilians are currently evacuating dead bodies and the injured into nearby hospitals. Major W.G.T.W.A.M.R.P.S Boyagoda, Commanding Officer, 3 (V) SLSR troops in coordination with the 112 Brigade Commander, Brigadier Suminda Dayawansa and the Commander, Security Forces-Central are closely supervising the evacuation and emergency relief operations.
