Forty-five people have died in South Africa after the bus they were travelling in plunged approximately 50 metres off a bridge into a ravine in the north-eastern Limpopo province, authorities have confirmed. The only survivor, an eight-year-old girl, sustained serious injuries but is now in a stable condition in hospital.
The bus crashed through a barrier and caught fire upon impact. Rescue operations continued late into Thursday evening and resumed the following morning. So far, 34 body bags have been recovered from the scene, but only nine bodies have been identified due to the severity of the fire, which may have fused body parts from separate victims.
The passengers were pilgrims travelling from Botswana's capital, Gaborone, to an Easter service in the town of Moria. The vehicle lost control on the Mmamatlakala mountain pass between Mokopane and Marken, approximately 300km north of Johannesburg, according to South African public broadcaster SABC.
Department of Transport spokesperson Colin Msibi told the BBC that the girl likely survived because she was ejected from the bus when it hit the barrier. Limpopo health official Phophi Ramathuba noted that the fire made identification challenging. Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga visited the scene, offering condolences and promising a full inquiry into the crash, as well as assistance with repatriating the bodies.
Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi offered his deepest condolences to the victims' relatives and their church. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also expressed sympathy, having earlier urged citizens to ensure a safe Easter period.
