An 82-year-old British tourist has died after being struck by a train this evening (09) while standing on a railway bridge between the Wadduwa and Pinwatta railway stations.
According to Pinwatta Police, the deceased was part of a group that included two foreign tourists and three Sri Lankan nationals, among them a small child.
The group had reportedly gone to the nearby beach and later climbed onto the railway bridge to sightsee, believing that the bridge was no longer in use.
However, while they were on the bridge, an express train traveling from Beliatta to Colombo approached along the track. The group reportedly attempted to move away from the railway line.
The oncoming train then had struck the British tourist and he had fallen into the Pinwatta canal. He died at the scene, police noted. The others managed to jump from the bridge into the canal and escape.
A foreign woman, a young child, and a Sri Lankan man sustained injuries and were admitted to the Panadura Base Hospital for treatment, according to police.
Further investigations into the incident are underway.
