A tragic bus accident in Sri Lanka claimed the lives of 21 passengers and injured at least 24 others early Sunday morning near Kotmale, about 86 miles from Colombo. The overcrowded state-owned bus, carrying around 70 people, plunged off a cliff while traveling through a mountainous area.

Authorities are investigating whether the crash was caused by a mechanical failure or the driver falling asleep. The bus was transporting Buddhist pilgrims from Kurunegala to Kataragama. Locals helped rescue the injured, likely preventing an even higher death toll.

Photos from the scene show the bus upside down in a tea plantation, with its roof and sides torn apart. Survivors said the driver lost control on a bend.

Deadly bus accidents are common in Sri Lanka, particularly in hilly regions, due to poor road conditions and reckless driving. The country sees around 3,000 road fatalities each year.

This crash is among the worst since 2005, when 37 people died after a bus collided with a train. Other recent tragedies include a 2021 bus crash in Passara and the February 2025 death of tourist Olga Perminova, who fell from a moving train during a photo attempt.

Also in February, two tourists — a British woman and a German visitor — died after suspected pesticide poisoning at a hostel. The chemicals, used to treat bed bugs, may have caused fatal respiratory symptoms.