45 dead in bus crash in South Africa
At least 45 people have died in a serious bus accident in South Africa. The bus came off a bridge on a mountain pass and plunged into a ravine.
Only an eight-year-old child survived the accident.
At least 45 people have died in a bus accident in the South African province of Limpopo. According to a press release from the South African Ministry of Transport, one person survived with serious injuries. According to initial findings, the driver lost control of the bus and fell from a bridge near Mmamatlakala into a ravine, where the vehicle burst into flames.
Only an eight-year-old child survived the accident. It was seriously injured and is now receiving medical treatment. The search operation is continuing, but many bodies have been burned beyond recognition and are still trapped in the wreckage, it was said.
The victims were apparently pilgrims
Authorities believed the bus was en route from neighboring Botswana to the town of Moria, known as a popular Easter pilgrimage site. Apparently the driver lost control of the vehicle.
South Africa’s Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga was in Limpopo province for a road safety campaign. However, she changed her plans and rushed to the scene of the accident, her ministry said.
She explained on site that an investigation into the tragedy was underway. She expressed her condolences to the families of the victims.
The government warns of the danger of traffic accidents, particularly around the Easter holidays. There is a particularly high volume of traffic during this time. More than 200 people died in traffic accidents in South Africa on Easter weekend 2023.
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