The special investigative committee appointed to probe the tragic bus accident, which claimed the lives of 22 individuals in Gerandi Ella, Ramboda on Sunday (11), has visited the crash site.

A five-member committee headed by Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Ajith Rohana was appointed on the directive of the Acting Inspector General of Police.

Police Media Spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Buddhika Manatunga said the team visited the site today and commenced investigations.

They will record witness counts and gather scientific evidence related to the incident in future, SSP Buddhika Manatunga added.

The team is also expected to record views and opinions of experts regarding the incident before submitting the final report.

In addition to SDIG Ajith Rohana four other senior Police officers have been included in the committee which is tasked with identifying the cause of the tragic accident.

The team will focus on several identified areas during the inquiry and is expected to provide recommendations to minimize future accidents.

Meanwhile, according to the Nuwara Eliya District Chief Motor Vehicle Inspector Jaliya Bandara, initial investigations had revealed that the tragic bus accident was not caused by a mechanical defect in the vehicle.

Jaliya Bandara said it is suspected that the bus was overloaded and that the driver may have fallen asleep on the wheel due to fatigue.

Around 40 individuals who sustained injuries in the bus accident in Gerandi Ella, Ramboda are currently receiving in-house treatment at hospitals, Police said.

A total of 22 individuals died in the accident that occurred in Gerandi Ella, Ramboda in the early hours of Sunday.

A Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus operating from Kataragama to Kurunegala via Nuwara Eliya veered off the road and toppled down a precipice on the Nuwara Eliya - Gampola main road.