2024 Mmamatlakala bus crash
 Location of the collision | |
| Date | March 28, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Time | South African Standard Time (CET) |
| Location | Mamatlakala, Limpopo, South Africa |
| Deaths | 45 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 1 |
On March 28, 2024, a passenger bus accident in the northern province of Limpopo, near Mamatlakala, killed 45 people and seriously injured an eight-year-old girl.[1][2] The South African Department of Transport said the driver lost control and drove over a barrier. The bus, which caught fire, was bringing Easter pilgrims from Gaborone, Botswana, to Moria, South Africa.[3][1][2]
Background
South Africa has one of the most developed road networks in Africa and one of the worst safety records. During the four-day long Easter weekend in 2023, 185 fatal automobile accidents occurred in South Africa, resulting in 225 fatalities.[4]
The Zionist Christian Church, headquartered in Moria, attracts hundreds of thousands of people from South Africa and surrounding countries with its annual Easter pilgrimages. The 2024 pilgrimage is the first in the town since the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6]
Hours before the crash, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement urging South Africans to take caution on the roads during the Easter weekend: "Let's do our best to make this a safe Easter. Easter does not have to be a time where we sit back and wait to see statistics on tragedy or injuries on our roads."[4]
Accident
The bus had a Botswana license plate and had been carrying pilgrims from Gaborone who were headed for an Easter church service in Moria. It had a total of 46 occupants and was traveling along the Kloof Pass, a mountainous path located in northern South Africa which contains tight bends.[7] The bus fell off the Mma Matlakala Bridge,[8] which links two hillsides in Mamatlakala, and plunged into a ravine before catching fire when it fell onto a rocky surface about 50 metres (160 ft) under the bridge. The South African Transport Ministry said the driver lost control of the bus, which caused it to collide with barriers and go over the bridge.[9][1][10] It was also pulling a trailer according to rescue workers, adding additional weight.[6]
The accident killed 45 people. The sole survivor, an eight-year-old girl, was hospitalized with serious injuries. The nationalities of the passengers are still being checked. Rescue operations took place following the accident, and continued until the late hours of the evening.[11] Some of the bodies were burned beyond recognition, while others were hard to reach due to debris or scattered over the crash scene.[1][9][10] One woman died after being airlifted from the scene.[12]
Responses
President Cyril Ramaphosa sent condolences to Botswana and pledged support to the nation.[3] South African Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga traveled to the scene of the crash, where she called for responsible driving during the Easter weekend and offered thoughts and prayers for the victims' families. She added that the South African government would assist in repatriating the corpses to Botswana and hold a full inquiry.[2][6]
References
- ^ a b c d "South Africa: Girl, 8, only survivor as 45 killed in bus crash". BBC. 2024-03-28. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ a b c Cassidy, Amy (28 March 2024). "Bus carrying Easter worshippers falls off cliff killing 45 people in South Africa". CNN.
- ^ a b "Bus accident in South Africa kills at least 45, Transport Ministry says". Reuters. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ^ a b "South Africa bus crash leaves dozens dead". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ "Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old is only survivor". Associated Press. 2024-03-28. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ a b c Dev, S. (2024-03-28). "Bus in South Africa plunges off bridge and catches fire, killing 45 people". CBS News. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ "Girl, 8, only survivor after South Africa bus crash kills 45". The Daily Telegraph. 2024-03-28. Retrieved 2024-03-28 – via Yahoo! News.
- ^ "Bus in South Africa plunges off bridge and catches fire, killing 45 people". The New York Times. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ a b "45 dead as bus plunges from bridge into ravine in South Africa". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ a b Bushard, Brian. "45 Killed In South Africa Bus Crash". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ "Bus accident in South Africa kills at least 45, Transport Ministry says". USA Today. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ Westfall, Sammy (28 March 2024). "8-year-old girl only survivor of South Africa bus crash that killed 45". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 March 2024 – via MSN.
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External links
- Bus plunges from bridge into ravine in South Africa – video (video of the aftermath of the crash by The Guardian)