Here’s a rephrased version: “During a motor race in Sri Lanka, a tragic incident occurred when a race car veered off track and collided with spectators, resulting in the deaths of at least seven people and injuries to 21 others. The event was hosted by Sri Lanka’s army and took place on Sunday.
During a motor race in Sri Lanka, a race car veered off track and collided with spectators and officials at the Fox Hill circuit. The track is maintained by the Sri Lankan army.
UPDATE:
Apologies, it was a sports-related crash, with no connection to any political rally.
A racing car went off the track and drove into a crowd of spectators during the "Fox Hill Super Cross 2024" race in Sri Lanka.
Seven people were killed and at least 20 were injured. pic.twitter.com/fkHDgU3tTL— FlashFeed (@FlashFeed365) April 21, 2024
In a widely circulated video on social media, track marshals were seen waving yellow flags as a precautionary measure to signal other drivers to reduce their speed. This occurred after a car overturned on the race track.
As the drivers raced by, kicking up clouds of orange dust, a red car suddenly collided with the crowd, prompting screams from the onlookers.
According to spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa, a total of 27 individuals were transported to the hospital, and tragically, seven of them did not survive their injuries. Among the deceased was an eight-year-old girl.
Prior to the accident, General Vikum Liyanage declared that the gates were accessible to spectators at no cost, as part of an effort to boost interest in motorsports. The event took place for the first time in five years due to the impact of the Covid pandemic and the economic crisis on the island.
“Today is a very special day… we decided to allow anyone to come in free,” Liyanage said, claiming that about 100,000 spectators were at the Fox Hill circuit, around 180 kilometres (112 miles) east of Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s road safety record is alarming, with an average of eight fatalities occurring daily along its extensive 12,500 kilometers (7,812 miles) of roads.
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