(NewsWorthy.news) – A bus on its way to an Easter festival veered off a bridge in South Africa, plummeting almost 200 feet and killing at least 45 passengers. In the incident on March 28, the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle causing it to go over the edge of the bridge and hit the ground, where it burst into flame. Some of the bodies were unrecognizably burnt and others were either trapped by the debris in the crash or scattered across the site in the north-east of the country roughly 190 miles north of Johannesburg.
The driver was confirmed to be among the dead and an eight-year-old child was the sole survivor of the crash. The child was reported to be undergoing medical treatment for serious injuries.
The bus was taking worshippers on a long-distance journey from the neighboring country of Botswana to an Easter church gathering in Moria, South Africa. The headquarters of the Zionist Christian Church are located in Moria. Hundreds of thousands travel from neighboring countries and across South Africa to attend the Easter service. The Easter holidays are a particularly busy time for road traffic and South Africa’s government regularly warns about the heightened risk of road accidents during the festive period. Over 200 died in road accidents during Easter in 2023.
Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga expressed condolences for the victims’ families and said she plans to visit the crash site, according to the national Department of Transport. Transport ministry media officer Vongani Chauke said relatives would be coming to the country to visit the 8-year-old girl who survived the crash. Chauke stressed the child was “fine” and receiving medical care, and stated that the girl did not have serious injuries.
South Africa’s police confirmed that those onboard the bus – 15 men and 31 women – were from Botswana. Chikunga assured that the government would do everything in its power to help send the bodies back to Botswana to ensure their families can bury them “with dignity”. Police have stated they are investigating a possible case of “culpable homicide” in relation to the crash.
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