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Fifteen people killed after bus crashes off 1,000ft cliff in Sri Lanka
Fifteen people have been killed in Sri Lanka after a passenger bus veered off a 1,000ft cliff.
A further 16 people have been injured, including five children, a police spokesman said.
The crash took place on a mountain road near the town of Wellawaya, around 280km east of the capital Colombo, on Thursday night.
The spokesman said an initial police investigation has revealed the bus was travelling at a high speed when its driver lost control.
A map showing the town of Wellawaya, in Sri Lanka, where the bus crashed
He added that the bus crashed into another vehicle and the road’s guardrails, before toppling off the cliff.
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Local television footage showed the severely damaged bus lying at the bottom of the precipice as rescue crews – including soldiers, police officers and volunteers – removed the injured people throughout the night.
Deadly bus accidents are common in Sri Lanka, especially in the island nation’s mountainous regions, often due to poorly maintained and narrow roads, and reckless driving.