UPDATE - Seven dead, several people injured in Thurstan College bus accident

20 January 2023 07:57 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 20 Bookmark

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An accident has been reported on the Nanuoya road in Nuwera Eliya between a bus, three wheeler and a van and seven bodies have been recovered while several people have been reported injured. The bus had been carrying students from Thurstan College in Colombo who had been on an educational tour.

The bodies are presently in the Nuwera Eliya Hospital while rescue operations are still ongoing.

Initial investigations have revealed that the accident occurred when the bus reportedly lost control and crashed into a three wheeler and then a van. The bus had then fallen down a precipice.

Among those confirmed dead so far are the three wheeler driver and six passengers from the van. The bus had been carrying 41 students and they have been admitted to hospital. Police say no students have been critically injured.

Meanwhile the Police said that the students bus had been returning to Colombo from Nuwera Eliya when it plunged down a 40 foot precipice in the Nanuoya area after it collided with the van. (JAMILA HUSAIN AND DARSHANA SANJEEWA BALASURIYA)

Comments - 20

Sensible driver Friday, 20 January 2023 08:41 PM

Very sad. However this is Sri Lankan drivers. Licenses ? Obtained by fraud. No police to check speeds. Why not use the 330,000. Armed forces to speed check vehicles all over SL.

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Saman Friday, 20 January 2023 08:55 PM

When country run by unfortunate xxx this kind of karma for her citizens are unavoidable.

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Lam Friday, 20 January 2023 09:04 PM

So sad to see this happening again and again in Sri laka ..sorry to say that some bus drivers are careless when they drive on our roads and health and safety measures are very poor....How long we are waiting till some good measures are taken to stop this happens again and again....take some strict measures by law

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Mahila Friday, 20 January 2023 10:11 PM

The Law is already there in place!!! People must have discipline to follow it!!! Societal infirmity and inability to respect all individuals as equal human beings, the cause!!!????

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Aquarius Friday, 20 January 2023 09:47 PM

I have seen how some bus drivers who drive in an absolutely reckless manner and putting the lives of every passenger in danger. Yes, more checks and heavy fines, including prison terms, should be applied if we are to bring some discipline on our roads. This should apply to all other vehicle drivers too. In addition, road-worthiness of vehicles should be controlled too. Bottom line is that we have a very undisciplined mind-set in our daily approach to life - just step on to the road and you can witness and experience this sad mannerism.

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Be Fair Friday, 20 January 2023 09:55 PM

A Private Bus Driver, is always a killer

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Bandu Friday, 20 January 2023 10:32 PM

Though there is a law, it is unfortunate that it is not applied by law enforcement. The fitness test for heavy vehicles. Police do not check to see when it was done

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Tissa Fernando Saturday, 21 January 2023 06:22 AM

Bus, van and three wheelers, receipe for accident. The bus driver and the passengers may have been in a different world altogether by singing and dancing. Unfortunately, 6 people in the van had to pay with their lives for these unruly school bus drivers and passengers .

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DW Saturday, 21 January 2023 06:59 AM

The bus plunged down a 40 foot precipice but 6 people in the van died. No students who have been travelling in the bus critically injured. That's very strange. For 6 people in the van to die, the bus must've been travelling fast but it's not possible in windy Nuwara Eliya roads. Something's missing here.

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Jude Fernando Saturday, 21 January 2023 07:13 AM

The Radella short cut is extremely steep and winding. Traveling downhill is very risky and requires experienced drivers and vehicles in sound mechanical condition. Hence this route was banned for heavy vehicles. Wonder why the bus took this route. The bus driver would probably be from Colombo and lack experience of driving in the hill country

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Bhatiya Siriwardena Saturday, 21 January 2023 07:16 AM

Bus drivers mostly responsible for most of the critical accidents. Some police officers take bribes from buses. Law enforcement is not at all enough. Then people are not desciplined too. Route Bus time tables too to blame.

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Chris Saturday, 21 January 2023 08:33 AM

I believe the passengers are also to blame to encourage these drivers when they do not follow the law, as responsible citizens those in the bus also should make a point to correct the driver or inform the nearest police

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Fred Saturday, 21 January 2023 09:23 AM

The solution is obvious and yet so hard to implement. ENFORCE THE ROAD RULES Sri Lankans are some of the worst drivers in the world, obvious to any visitor, so start from Katunayake. Get the MP's involved in implementing it in their electorates, something useful for them to do, will create jobs.And spot fines as a source of revenue My sympathies to those involved in the tragedy

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Rezan Sallay Saturday, 21 January 2023 09:55 AM

I drive on this road often. I have witnessed how recklessly some heavy vehicle drivers drive on the road with no regard whatsoever for smaller vehicles. Until and unless the rule of law is applied correctly we will, unfortunately, see more of this kind of accident occurring on our rods.

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RR Saturday, 21 January 2023 12:01 PM

Parents send their children for educational tour by trusting the Teachers. When 8 buses are racing, why a single Teacher didn’t stop the driver? Why a single parent didn’t ask the drivers to reduce the speed? Isn’t this a negligence of responsibility of Teachers. If they responsible for the children entrusted to them, 7 lives including 3 children could be saved. Drivers, Teachers and Parents travelled should equally share this sin.

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Be Fair Saturday, 21 January 2023 12:09 PM

The School authorities for sure wouldn't have checked the drivers, tyres, general condition of the vehicles. Imagine for the driver to be up for.more than 14hrs. He would have been fatigued. No basic road etiquette, how can he drive

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Wije Saturday, 21 January 2023 03:05 PM

It’s is the responsibility of Teachers in the bus to control drivers as well , not only the children. For some luck no fatality on fellow students only the poor family is affected .

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Jef Saturday, 21 January 2023 03:36 PM

First of all our heavy vheicles are driven by young fellows have no basic skills to drive accordingly with duty of care for passengers and other road users some of this fellows got no basic skills from education to forward thinking to drive safe Even in wet roundabouts overtaking heavy vheicles drivers should have proper procedures to drive heavy vheicles with minium 10yrs of driving before giving lisence for heavy vheicles you can see how the young bus drivers drive every day so much risk taken purely lack in driver disiplin drive safe keep other road user's safe secondly sri lanka have very little speed limits and road safty standards displayed thirdly police gives a blind eye no proper rules .drivers have no fear for police either respect ..authorities must take responsibily to minimize losses of life's

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Disgusted Saturday, 21 January 2023 04:14 PM

Not sure what grades were traveling in the school bus/buses and the usual in singling and dancing in buses when on tours. Driver may have been after drinks and lost concentration with all the singing in the bus, may have also been his first drive on the path they took. As for the Teachers, they are fully responsible for the students they accompany and should have asked the boys to all be seated and keep the singing low, including ensuring that the Driver's speed was in keeping with road rules in the area. Very sad innocent people had to lose their lives for no fault of their own. Prayers for the families that lost a loved one.

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Martin Milton Sunday, 22 January 2023 04:04 PM

This is one terrible accident which should NEVER have occurred. The Bus driver is at fault primarily for not following the standard route to travel back to Colombo., He tried to be too smart and thought he would take a 'short cut' to show off and this is what resulted! He also could have been under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Is he still alive? if so he should be charged with mass murder! No point to keep saying "it is sad this happened and it is all because of GoSL fault". The public must become more mature than this petty mindedness. MM

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