Tourists lean out from train doors for selfies, number of accidents keep rising

BY SHANTHA CHANDRASIRI

The number of accidents involving tourists engaging in unsafe behaviour on the upcountry mainline trains have been on the rise, prompting calls for stricter safety measures and greater awareness.

According to a senior official from the Railways Department, foreign tourists often lean out of train doors, hold onto footboard handles, and take selfies, oblivious to the risks. 

In a recent case, an Iranian woman sustained critical head injuries after striking a tunnel while attempting to take a selfie near Ohiya and Idalgashinna. She was rushed to the Nuwara Eliya General Hospital and remains in critical condition.

Other incidents include a tourist who fell off a footboard and sustained severe injuries, and another who tragically lost his life.