A British father who came to Sri Lanka to celebrate his daughter’s 34th birthday has died after collapsing during a scenic hike in Ella.
Brett Maclean, 63, and his daughter, Natalie Anne, were on what was meant to be a joyous trip. They arrived on October 16, explored the coast in Weligama, and then traveled to the mountain town of Ella.
On Saturday, the pair decided to climb the famous Ella Rock. But as they reached the summit, the trip took a tragic turn. Maclean suddenly collapsed.
He was transported to the Bandarawela Hospital but could not be revived. An investigation is now underway, with a magistrate ordering a post-mortem to determine what caused the father’s sudden death during the birthday celebration.



