Investigation launched into Passara tragedy

Colombo (News 1st) - The Sri Lanka Police & the Department of Motor Traffic has launched a joint investigation into the motor accident in Passara , Badulla where a Sri Lanka Transport Board bus plunged into a deep precipice. Our correspondent stated that the remains of 8 individuals who perished in the incident have been placed in the Passara District Hospital. 41 individuals sustained injuries in this accident. The accident occurred at 5 pm yesterday. The NA - 2662 CTB Bus began it's journey towards Akiriya at about 4.30pm yesterday when it veered off the road and plunged into the precipice at the 06th Mile Post in Madolsima. Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred when the bus and a lorry plying from the opposite direction were interchanging on this narrow road. The debris of the bus, that ended up in two halves was found in a 150m deep precipice. Eyewitnesses noted that the bus fell into the precipice when it attempted to make way for a lorry to pass. The driver of the bus who is currently receiving treatment at the Badulla General Hospital speaking to news first explained how the accident happened. "The bus made a stop at the 6th-mile post and some people got off the bus and when we went about 100 or 150m when a vehicle came in the opposite direction. I gave way for the vehicle to pass by and that's when I lost control of the bus" News First has received documents to prove that the bus had been repaired the day before the accident. The documentation shows that the second defect of the vehicle is the lack of control in the Front wheel. A similar incident occurred on the 16th of April 2015 when a bus veered off the same road near the second-mile post, injuring 37 individuals. Meanwhile, a tense situation occurred when UNP MP Vadivel Suresh arrived at the Pasara District Hospital.