At least 21 killed after bus skids and plummets down mountain by popular scenic waterfall in Sri Lanka

AT least 21 people have died after a bus skidded and fell down a mountainside.

Officials said that 14 others were injured during the horror cliff-side plummet near Kotmale, Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Rescue workers search the wreckage of a bus crash in a wooded area while onlookers observe.
Onlookers watch as rescue workers search the debris at the site of a bus crash near the town of Kotmale, Sri LankaCredit: AP
A crowd of people surrounding a tipped-over truck in a wooded area.
At least 21 people died in the horror bus accident
Rescue workers search for survivors at a bus accident site in Sri Lanka.
At least 14 people were injuredCredit: AP

Shocking TV footage showed the bus lying overturned at the bottom of a precipice.

Recovery workers and civilians helped remove the injured survivors from the wreckage.

It also showed onlookers watch on during the gruelling recovery mission.

The bus made the harrowing plummet along the Nuwara Eliya-Gampola main road, in the Gerandi Ella region.

It sat at the bottom of a mountainside overturned, appearing to be caught up in shrubs and trees.

Chilling images showed the roof of the bus seemingly ripped off, leaving empty chairs exposed.

Reports said the bus was en route from Kataragama to Kurunegala at the time of the fall.

The town of Kotmale is about 140 kilometres east of the capital Colombo.

The driver survived the horrifying ordeal, and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Police said that the vehicle was operated by a state-run bus company.

Brit tourists among dozens injured as bus flipped onto its side in Thailand

According to Prasanna Gunasena, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, 21 individuals lost their lives in the crash. Additionally, 14 more individuals are currently receiving medical attention in different hospitals.

At the time of the accident, nearly 50 people were travelling on the doomed bus.

Fatal bus crashes are not uncommon in the South Asian nation, especially in its mountainous regions.

This is often due to reckless drivers, paired with poorly maintained roads.

The area is popular with tourists due to its picturesque waterfalls littered around the area.

Gerandi Ella falls, located in a mountainous region, boasts stunning views and scenery.

Holiday hotspot Sri Lanka attracts over 100,000 Brit tourists annually according to the UK government.

The island-country lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal.

Large crowd of people gathered on a hillside.
Horrified onlookers watched in the aftermath
View of the Kotmale Reservoir in Ramboda Valley, Sri Lanka.
Kotmale, Sri LankaCredit: Getty

Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.

You May Also Like

Trump spreads the belief that Joe Biden passed away in 2020 and was substituted with a clone.

On Saturday night, President Donald Trump took to social media to propagate a strange…

Archaeologists find ancient city lost for 3,000 years with remarkable pyramids and canals

AN ANCIENT Mayan city has been discovered by archaeologists in northern Guatemala,…

I spent 100 days in a rat-infested jail on false ‘spying’ charges with 80 others in a cramped cell – I feared for my life.

A BRIT dad jailed on unfounded spying charges has told how he…

The evolution of the ideal female body in the past century

As women struggle to keep up with ever-changing beauty standards, more than…

“Indiana Mother Rescues 12-Year-Old Daughter by Shooting Attempted Rapist: Reports”

An Indianapolis mother reportedly shot a man she found on top of…

Romesh Ranganathan announces unexpected decision to take a break from his career, clarifies he is not quitting.

Romesh Ranganathan has revealed he’s hitting pause on his hectic showbiz schedule…

Car crashes into crowd celebrating PSG Champions League win in Grenoble, leaving four injured and a woman in critical condition

FOUR people were left seriously injured after a car ploughed into a…

Jane, my Friends Teased Me for Looking Different, but the Truth Revealed by My Mother Was Shocking.

Dear Jane, I’m 21 years old and don’t have any siblings, but…

Jacqueline Jossa and Patsy Palmer stun in stylish outfits at the 2025 British Soap Awards, while Tina O’Brien and Jorgie Porter face a fashion mishap in matching dresses.

The great and the good of soap world descended upon London’s Hackney Empire…

Rumors of Elon Musk’s Declining Mental State and Substance Use, Claims Freddy Gray

Alexander the Great, known for his military conquests, once expressed sadness at…

Somersaulting cheese-chaser expresses gratitude for surviving injury in viral video

A CHEESE chasing daredevil is flipping lucky to be alive after taking…

“Sad News: Devin Harjes Passes Away at the Age of 41 on Boardwalk Empire”

Devin Lee Harjes, a television actor recognized for his roles in Manifest,…