At least 15 people have been killed and around 30 others injured after a passenger bus plunged into a ravine in Kotmale, a hilly region of Sri Lanka. All the victims were reportedly Buddhist pilgrims. The incident occurred early Sunday (May 11), according to a report by the Associated Press (AP).
The report states that the bus was traveling from the southern town of Kataragama to the central city of Kurunegala when the driver lost control on a mountainous road near Kotmale, causing the bus to fall into a deep gorge.
Local police reported that the bus was carrying more passengers than its maximum capacity. While it was designed to carry 50 passengers, approximately 70 people were on board at the time of the crash.
The injured have been transported to nearby hospitals, with several reported to be in critical condition.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident and are working to determine if vehicle overload and road conditions contributed to the tragedy.
