Index – Abroad – A car race in Asia turned into a tragedy after a car crashed into the spectators

The accident, which claimed the lives of several people, happened on Sunday at the Fox Hill Supercross race in Diyatalawa, the army base town, the BBC reports.

Among the dead are four competition officials, the other fatalities were spectators, including an eight-year-old girl.

The authorities have so far released very little information about the accident. Details about the driver, his condition, and possible charges have not been released.

According to a statement from the police, a full police investigation is underway into the accident on the army-owned track. Diyatalawa is a former garrison town in central south Sri Lanka where the military maintains an academy.

The accident happened when the car went off the race track

said police spokesman Nihal Talduwa.

Witnesses reported that the crash happened shortly after another car overturned on the track. They said authorities waved yellow lights to try to slow down the cars at the venue, but as the cars sped past them, one of the red cars veered off the track and crashed into spectators.

After the accident, a lot of footage went viral on social media. These already show the aftermath of the tragedy – the screams and the people rushing to the scene. Five people died on the spot, two more died later in the hospital. According to the authorities, several of the injured are in hospital in a critical condition.

Locals took to social media to blame the race organizers for not providing more protection for the accident. The lack of safety barriers on some sections of the track was also criticized.

Organized by the Sri Lanka Motorsport Association, the event has been organized since 1993, but due to the pandemic restrictions and the economic crisis that hit the country, this was the first race in five years.

The organizers made the event free for spectators, so according to their claim, around 100,000 people were present on the tragic day.

(Cover photo: The scene of an accident at the Fox Hill motocross race track in Diyatala on April 21, 2024, after a car drove into the crowd. Photo: AFP)