A bus carrying university students on a field trip skidded off a road and tipped over in central Sri Lanka on Friday, killing two students and injuring 39 others, officials said.
Police said the accident occurred when the driver lost control of the vehicle on a curve near the town of Badulla in the country’s mountainous tea-growing region, about 330 kilometers (205 miles) north of Colombo, the capital.
Derana television showed residents helping health workers remove the wounded students from the toppled bus. Police and doctors said 39 wounded passengers, including six in critical condition, were admitted to the main hospital in Badulla. Two others were declared dead at the scene.
Deadly bus accidents are common in Sri Lanka and are often caused by reckless driving and poorly maintained roads. The latest incident has once again highlighted the need for improved road safety and transportation regulations in the country.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the causes of the crash. The two fatalities and dozens of injured students are a tragic outcome of what was meant to be an educational field trip for the university group.
AP
