Eleven people were killed and ten injured when a passenger van carrying pilgrims to Jaffna collided with a Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus at the 302 km post in Chavakachcheri on the A9 road yesterday afternoon.
According to Jaffna SSP G.B. Stanislaus, the driver of the speeding van had fallen sleep and the vehicle collided with the bus which was heading from Jaffna to Vavuniya.
Of the 12 people in the van, 11 were killed and the only survivor, who was critically injured, was receiving treatment at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Ten passengers including the driver of the van died on the spot and another died after admission to the Jaffna Hospital.
Ten passengers including the driver of the van died on the spot and another died after admission to the Jaffna Hospital. The driver of the SLTB bus was also admitted to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital in a critical condition. About eight passengers on board the bus who sustained injuries were admitted to the Chavakachcheri hospital.
The people on board the van were from the Bandargama area and were heading towards Ngadeepa, SSP Stanislaus said.
According to Police sources, five women and six men were among those who were killed in the accident.
Initially, the Police found it difficult to find out the details of the passengers as there was no one to give any information about them and they had found the details after dialing the telephone numbers found on their mobile phones.
The post-mortem into the deaths of the 11 people is due to be held at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital today after their family members identify the bodies.
Chavakachcheri Police are carrying out further investigations.