Train kills two wild elephants in Sri Lanka as fuel tankers derail

A train carrying thousands of gallons of fuel has hit a herd of wild elephants in north-east Sri Lanka, killing two and injuring another as two of its tankers were derailed, authorities said.

The collision happened in Minneriya, a town known for its nature park and wildlife about 120 miles from the capital Colombo.

The train driver told the Associated Press that a herd of nearly 20 elephants suddenly tried to cross the track on Friday.

“There was about 10 metres between us. So we couldn’t do anything. We pressed the brakes to their maximum capacity, but there was nothing much we could do. At least four elephants were knocked down.” NW Jayalath said.

The train had eight tankers — five carrying diesel and another three with petrol, each with a capacity of 50,000 litres, he said.

Two of the petrol tankers were derailed, causing a significant leak and severely damaging rail tracks and forcing authorities to suspend services on the line, he added.

The train compartment carrying the conductor was also derailed. The train had two other personnel but none of the four were injured.

“This is the first time I saw this kind of incident,” said VJ Jackson, a Minneriya resident. “We came here after hearing the honking of the train and the screaming of the elephants. We saw elephants lying everywhere and the train had derailed.”

Hasini Sarathchandra, the publicity officer of the wildlife department, said the two elephants died at the scene while the injured one was treated and released back to its herd.

Minneriya National Park draws thousands of tourists each year hoping to see elephants in their wild habitats. It is part of the “elephant corridor that connects Kaudulla and Wasgamuwa National parks” which allows for elephant sightings year-round.

Though elephants are revered in the Indian Ocean island nation, they are endangered, with numbers dwindling from about 14,000 in the 19th century to 6,000 in 2011, according to the country’s first elephant census.

Elephant-train collisions have gone up in recent years in Sri Lanka, with wild elephants attempting to cross rail tracks in search of food and water.

They are increasingly vulnerable because of the loss and degradation of their natural habitat and many venture closer to human settlements in search of food. Some are killed by poachers or farmers angry over damage to their crops.

According to government statistics, seven elephants have died this year after being hit by trains, while 24 died last year.