Cable Cart Accident Kills Seven Buddhist Monks Including Foreigners in Sri Lanka Monastery

Seven Buddhist monks, including nationals from India, Russia, and Romania, were killed and six others injured when a cable-operated rail cart overturned at the Na Uyana Aranya Senasanaya forest monastery in northwestern Sri Lanka. The monks had been traveling in a small makeshift cabin pulled by a cable to reach meditation units on a mountain within the monastery grounds. Initial reports indicate the cable snapped, causing the rail car to speed downhill, derail, and crash into a tree. Thirteen monks were on board at the time; two escaped with minor injuries, while four remain in critical condition. The monastery is a well-known meditation retreat attracting practitioners globally, located about 125 kilometers northeast of Colombo. Authorities continue to investigate the incident, which occurred late Wednesday night as the monks were returning from religious rituals.