Ampara tractor incident: Driver’s assistant surrenders, driver’s body recovered

The assistant of the tractor driver involved in the tragic tractor accident at Karaitivu in Ampara, who was previously reported missing, has surrendered to the Karaitivu Police Station. 

According to Karaitivu Police, the tractor driver’s assistant appeared by himself at the police station this morning (28) and was arrested for endangering lives by illegally transporting passengers in a tractor for monetary gain, despite warnings from security forces during the flood situation. 

Meanwhile, the bodies of four school children, another passenger, and the tractor driver involved in the incident have been recovered. However, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) confirmed that two students are still missing.

In separate incidents related to the adverse weather, a person drowned while observing water spilling from the Mahakachchakodiya Tank in Vavuniya. Another individual drowned after a boat overturned while fishing in the Yan Oya River, Trincomalee.

Assistant Director of the DMC, Janaka Handunpathiraja, emphasized that many disaster-related fatalities were caused by people ignoring safety precautions in hazardous conditions.