Veteran actress Hyacinth Wijeratne was killed when the vehicle in which she was travelling plunged down a steep precipice at Lindula in Talawakelle late on Friday night, police said yesterday. She was 75.
Wijeratne was returning to Colombo after a film shoot in Nuwara Eliya when the accident occurred, Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Lindula Police Chief Inspector (CI) Ranjith Jayasena said.
Initial investigations have revealed that the vehicle had gone out of control after the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, CI Jayasena said.
The vehicle that was travelling to Colombo on the left side of the road had gone down the precipice on the right side of the road. Heavy fog could have also led to poor visibility, he said.
The actress was pronounced dead on admission to the Lindula Government Hospital. There were no other occupants in the vehicle apart from the actress and the driver, CI Jayasena said.
He said that the vehicle had plunged 300 feet before coming to rest at the base of the precipice. It is also learnt that the driver had opted for a shortcut due to the poor condition of the road on the usual route. He said the driver has been arrested since it is the standard procedure following a fatal accident until investigations are completed.
The late actress was acclaimed for her roles in Bithu Sithuwam, Karumakkarayo, Ho Gaana Pokuna and Tharaka Mal.