An eight-year-old woman survived and was taken to hospital in critical situation.

A bus fell from a bridge right into a ravine in South Africa, killing 45 of the 46 passengers on board, based on the Division of Transport.

The only real survivor, an eight-year-old woman, was taken to hospital with critical accidents after the crash on Thursday.

The wreck of the bus at the bottom of the ravine.  It is gray and smoldering.
Firefighters put out the fireplace that consumed the bus after the crash [Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety via Reuters]

Authorities stated the motive force misplaced management of the car and crashed by way of limitations on a bridge in a mountainous space close to Mamatlakala, 300 kilometers (190 miles) north of Johannesburg. The bus plunged 50 meters (164 toes) right into a ravine earlier than bursting into flames.

The bus was en route from neighboring Botswana to Moria, a city in northern Limpopo province that holds a preferred Easter competition. Easter Sunday falls on March 31 this 12 months.

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga traveled to the scene of the crash and promised a full investigation.

“We actually need to prolong our honest condolences to the households, but in addition to the federal government of Botswana and the folks of Botswana, and like South Africa, we’ll attempt every part to assist them return to their nation and the households to be buried . with dignity,” she was quoted as saying by the nationwide broadcaster SABC.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa despatched his condolences to Botswana and pledged help, his workplace stated in an announcement.

Search operations continued on the website, however a number of our bodies have been burned past recognition and have been nonetheless trapped within the car.

Whereas South Africa has probably the most developed street networks on the African continent, it additionally has one of many worst security data.

A couple of hours earlier than the crash, Ramaphosa had appealed to South Africans to take care when touring in the course of the Easter holidays.

“We do our greatest to make this a protected Easter. Pasquale shouldn’t be a time the place we sit and wait to see statistics concerning the tragedy or accidents on our roads,” he stated in an announcement.

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