A tragedy unfolded on Thursday night (September 4) in Sri Lanka when a bus plunged off a 300-meter cliff, killing 15 people and injuring another 16, including five children. The accident occurred on a mountain road near the town of Wellawaya, about 280 kilometers east of the capital, Colombo.

According to Sky News, the initial investigation indicates that the bus driver, who was traveling at high speed, lost control after colliding with another vehicle. The bus then crashed into roadside guardrails before careening off the cliff.

Local TV footage showed the bus in a mangled state at the bottom of the ravine, while rescue teams—including soldiers, police officers, and volunteers—worked tirelessly through the night to pull survivors from the wreckage and transport the injured.

Deadly bus crashes are common in Sri Lanka, especially in the country’s mountainous regions, often due to poor road maintenance, narrow roads, and reckless driving behavior.