Tragedy at Sri Lankan Motorsport Event: Seven Dead, 21 Injured in Race Car Crash

In a devastating incident at a motorsport event hosted by Sri Lanka’s army on Sunday, at least seven people were killed and 21 others injured when a race car veered off the track, crashing into spectators.

The tragedy unfolded at the Fox Hill circuit, a venue maintained by the Sri Lankan army. A video of the incident, widely shared on social media, captured the horrifying moment when a red car ploughed into the crowd after other drivers sped past in clouds of orange dust, ignoring the yellow warning flags raised by track marshals following an earlier car overturning.

“A total of 27 people were rushed to the hospital, out of which seven succumbed to their injuries,” said police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa. Tragically, among the deceased was an eight-year-old girl.

The event, which was being held for the first time in five years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the country’s economic crisis, had been opened to spectators free of charge by army chief Vikum Liyanage. “Today is a very special day… we decided to allow anyone to come in free,” Liyanage had announced, estimating that around 100,000 spectators were present at the Fox Hill circuit, located approximately 180 kilometres (112 miles) east of Colombo.

This unfortunate incident has once again brought attention to the safety measures at motorsport events and the risks associated with them, particularly in a country where roads are known to be among the most dangerous in the world. On average, eight fatalities are reported daily on Sri Lanka’s 12,500 kilometers (7,812 miles) of roads.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the crash to determine the cause and ensure such tragedies are prevented in the future.