• Sources claim crowd entered unauthorised area despite control efforts by approx. 15-man Police-Army personnel   
• SLAS to bear funeral expenses, compensate deceased & injured, bear legal expenses of driver duo 
• Army appoints spl. probe comm. led by Maj. Gen.

The Co-Organisers of the ill-fated Fox Hill Supercross 2024, the Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS), has initiated an investigation into the 21 April tragedy that claimed the lives of seven persons and injured over 20. The SLAS Council, which convened yesterday (23), has appointed a three-member independent inquiry panel, led by a retired High Court (HC) Judge, to conduct this investigation.

In response to The Daily Morning’s questions about the security measures that had been taken during the race, highly placed SLAS sources said that around 600 Army personnel and around 200 Police personnel were on duty, adding that around 15 such personnel were present in the area where the accident took place. The sources added that even though attempts had been made by the said personnel to control the crowd, it was not possible to prevent the crowd from gathering closer to the track. “The crowd had come to the unauthorised, ‘no-man area’ for a few seconds, not even a few minutes. This happened within that small period, and it is unfortunate,” the sources said, adding that the SLAS takes the accident on 21 April very seriously and will take every possible measure in response to the incident.

The sources added that in addition to the said investigation, the SLAS, together with the Army (Sri Lanka Military Academy in Diyatalawa being the other co-organisers of the race), will bear the expenses of the funerals of those who died in the accident. It will also take measures to provide compensation to both the deceased and the injured.

With regard to the two drivers apprehended following the accident, adding that the SLAS Council has decided to bear their legal expenses, the sources said: “We have no idea under which offences they will be charged, because, this an incident that happened during a race. A charge sheet has not been issued. They have not been taken to the courts, and the Magistrate had come to the hospital and had remanded them. Because of that, lawyers could not appear (for the two drivers).” the senior SLAS Official told The Daily Morning. 

The SLAS has taken measures to appoint the aforementioned panel in a context where the Army Headquarters has also appointed a special seven-member committee, led by a Major General, to investigate and report to the Army Commander with regard to the accident. The committee is tasked with investigating the factors that led to the accident, those responsible for the accident, whether the safety of the spectators had been ensured, whether the persons and institutions responsible for ensuring the race track’s adherence to standards had properly fulfilled their duties, and what steps can be taken to prevent the recurrence of such accidents in the future.

As many as seven people, including an eight-year-old girl, lost their lives and more than 20 were injured on 21 April after a car ran off the track during the race and ploughed into spectators. Among the deceased were four event officials who had been stationed as flag marshals, while the others were identified as spectators. Reportedly, the crash happened soon after another car had overturned on the track. As the vehicles were speeding past, one red car veered off course and crashed into spectators on the side of the unguarded track. Two drivers of the racing cars involved in the accident were subsequently arrested and remanded until 30 April on the orders of the Bandarawela Magistrate’s Court.

The Fox Hill Supercross is participated by both local and international top ranking racing drivers and riders. The 28th edition of the event kicked off in Diyatalawa on 21 April following a five-year hiatus. It was suspended after the tragic accident.

The Daily Morning’s attempts to contact the Sports Minister and Sports Ministry officials and the National Sports Council to discuss any actions being initiated from their end proved futile.