45 Dead As Bus Plunges Into Ravine In South Africa; 8-Yo Girl Sole Survivor

45 Easter pilgrims from Botswana were killed after the bus they were travelling in fell into a ravine in Limpopo Province of South Africa.

South Africa Bus Crash: Forty-five people were killed when a bus carrying Easter pilgrims plunged off a bridge and into a ravine in Limpopo province of South Africa on Thursday, leaving an 8-year-old girl as the only survivor of the horrific crash.

The victims were pilgrims travelling from Gaborone, the capital city of neighbouring country Botswana, to a church for an Easter conference, the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) said, adding that the lone survivor of the crash is an 8-year-old girl was suffered injuries and has been airlifted to a hospital.

As per a CNN report, the accident occurred in the Mamatlakala mountain pass between Mokopane and Marken and bus caught fire after falling into the ravine, killing 45 passengers onboard.

At least 45 people were killed in South Africa when a bus driver lost control and collided with barriers on a bridge, causing the bus to go over the bridge and hit the ground and catch fire, according to a statement by the transport department https://t.co/VB9omyT7KJ pic.twitter.com/FLn8z2AsxB

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2024

“According to reports, the driver lost control and the bus fell onto a rocky surface, some 50 meters under the bridge and caught fire,” Limpopo transport department said in a statement, adding that the cause of the fatal crash is being investigated.

Efforts are ongoing to recover the bodies of the passengers who were killed, the statement said.

“Some bodies burned beyond recognition,” the local department said. Others are “trapped inside the debris and others [are] scattered on the scene,” it added.

South African Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said the government would repatriate the bodies to Botswana, the broadcaster said, CNN reported.

“I am sending my heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the tragic bus crash near Mamatlakala. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. We continue to urge responsible driving at all times with heightened alertness as more people are on our roads this Easter weekend,” Chikunga said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)