A Special Forces soldier of the Sri Lanka Army has been recognized for his brave attempt to save three victims of the bus accident in Ella on Thursday.
According to information received by the army, the first group of soldiers arrived at the accident site near Ravana Falls around 9:20 PM.
At the scene, a large crowd had gathered and among them was a young man wearing a Special Forces T-shirt, who took leadership of a small group and began rescuing the victims.
It is reported that four deceased individuals and three injured persons were trapped above the location where the bus had come to a halt after toppling into a precipice.
Despite the extreme difficulty of reaching the site, almost impossible for an ordinary person, the young man had climbed down and carried all the deceased and injured individuals to safety, without regard for his own life.
While rappelling down with one of the injured victims, the man had struck his head on a rock and sustained a serious injury. It is reported that even in pain, he continued to assist in the rescue operation.
Following the rescue mission, he was later given initial medical treatment and admitted to Badulla Hospital.
It was later found that the individual was Lance Corporal W.M.V.M. Bandara of the 2nd Special Forces Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army.
The officer who was home on leave had responded to the accident, which occurred near his residence, helping rescue the victims.
As of now, 15 people, including the driver, were killed and 18 were injured in the tragic accident. (Newswire)