Almost all of the passengers on a bus, or 45 people, died Thursday in South Africa in a serious road accident, the vehicle having fallen around fifty meters from the top of a bridge before crashing into the bottom of a ravine. “The accident, involving a bus apparently transporting passengers from Botswana to Moria (north), left at least 45 dead and one seriously injured,” the Ministry of Transport announced in a statement.
“The driver apparently lost control of his vehicle, hitting the safety barriers on the bridge. The bus went over the bridge and hit the ground, where it caught fire,” the ministry said. The bus was carrying a total of 46 passengers including the driver. Only one person, an eight-year-old child, survived the crash, according to the provincial Department of Transportation. He was taken to hospital.
STATEMENT:
MINISTER OF TRANSPORT EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES FOR VICTIMS OF MAMATLAKALA LIMPOPO BUS CRASH TRAGEDY pic.twitter.com/Y4eeHrzpOz
— Department of Transport (@Dotransport) March 28, 2024
The nationality of the passengers has not yet been confirmed
“Some bodies have been burned beyond recognition, others are trapped under debris and still others are scattered at the scene,” the department said in a statement, adding that rescue operations continued. until late in the evening. The accident occurred on a huge suspension bridge between two hills near Mmamatlakala in the Limpopo province (north), more than 300km from Johannesburg.
The bus had a Botswanan license plate, according to local authorities. The nationality of the passengers has not yet been confirmed. The Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, who visited the site during the day, promised a thorough investigation into the causes of the accident. South Africa has one of the most developed road networks on the continent, but is among the worst performers in terms of road safety.