At least 45 people on board were killed when a bus headed for an Easter festival veered off a bridge and fell about 200 feet in South Africa on Thursday, authorities said.
The Limpopo provincial government said a bus heading from neighboring Botswana to the town of Moria for the popular Easter pilgrimage went off the side of the Mamatlakala Bridge, plunged some 164 feet into a ravine and burst into flames.
Miraculously, not everyone on the bus at the time of the accident died.
Authorities in the northern province of Limpopo said the sole survivor of the accident, an 8-year-old child, was seriously injured and was taken from the wreck for treatment.
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At least 45 people were killed in South Africa on Thursday when a bus heading to an Easter festival veered off a mountain pass bridge and fell some 60 meters. (AP)
The investigation into the crash is ongoing and first responders are still recovering bodies from inside the vehicle, many of which were burned beyond recognition, the government said.
Authorities said they believe the driver lost control shortly before veering off the bridge. The driver was also confirmed to be among the dead.
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The Limpopo provincial government said the bus veered off the Mamatlakala Bridge and fell approximately 200 feet into a ravine. (AP)
Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. She will visit the scene of the accident, the National Transport Ministry said.
The Easter holidays are a particularly busy time for road travel, and the South African government frequently warns of an increased risk of road accidents during this time.
Officials say the 8-year-old child was the only survivor of the accident. (AP)
The country’s Transport Ministry said an investigation into the accident is still ongoing. (AP)
More than 200 people died in traffic accidents over Easter weekend last year.
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The Zionist Christian Church is headquartered in Moria. The Easter pilgrimage attracts hundreds of thousands of people from all over South Africa and neighboring countries.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
