{"id":614709,"date":"2024-03-28T23:50:24","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T20:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/45-killed-as-bus-falls-from-bridge-in-south-africa\/"},"modified":"2024-03-28T23:50:24","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T20:50:24","slug":"45-killed-as-bus-falls-from-bridge-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/45-killed-as-bus-falls-from-bridge-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"#45 killed as bus falls from bridge in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3cc59e6c897\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3cc59e6c897\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/45-killed-as-bus-falls-from-bridge-in-south-africa\/#Minister_pledges_inquiry_into_incident\" >Minister pledges inquiry into incident<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/45-killed-as-bus-falls-from-bridge-in-south-africa\/#Driver_reportedly_lost_control_of_vehicle\" >Driver reportedly lost control of vehicle<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div data-test=\"article-body-text\">\n<p>    Forty-five people were killed in South Africa on Thursday when a bus plunged off a bridge and into a ravine, the transport ministry said.<\/p>\n<p>An eight-year-old girl was seriously injured in the incident and has been airlifted to hospital. She is believed to be the only survivor among the dozens of passengers.<\/p>\n<p>The bus is believed to have been carrying Christians from Botswana, who were heading to a church in the town of Moria for the Easter weekend, when it drove off the Mmamatlakala bridge and burst into flames.<\/p>\n<p>The group was <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>ling along the Kloof Pass, a mountainous stretch in the north of the country known for its tight, hairpin bends, state <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n<p>Every Easter, worshippers from the Zion Christian Church, from South Africa and neighbouring countries, gather in Moria for day-and-night prayers and celebrations.<\/p>\n<p>The transport ministry said it believed the driver was turning a corner when he lost control of the bus, which was towing a trailer reportedly loaded with paraffin and flammable materials. It landed in a ravine 40 metres below and burst into flames.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities are investigating how the crash occurred and are attempting to retrieve bodies tangled up in the wreckage.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"u-heading-size-medium u-heading-style-normal\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Minister_pledges_inquiry_into_incident\"><\/span>Minister pledges inquiry into incident<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Sindisiwe Chikunga, South Africa\u2019s transport minister, visited the crash site and offered her \u201cheartfelt condolences\u201d to the families of the victims and Botswana\u2019s government.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time,\u201d she said. \u201cWith heightened alertness, we continue to urge responsible driving at all times as more people are on our roads this Easter weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ms Chikunga pledged that an inquiry would be held into the incident, adding: \u201cWe will try everything to assist so that they go back to their country and families to be buried with dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emergency services were expected to work over Thursday night to retrieve the remains of the victims, whose bodies are said to have been burned beyond recognition.<\/p>\n<p>Ms Chikunga suggested DNA analysis might be necessary in order to identify the deceased.<\/p>\n<p>Some are tr<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ed within the debris of the bus, while others were scattered over the crash site. The rocky and treacherous nature of the ravine means authorities are struggling to retrieve the bodies and will likely have to airlift them.<\/p>\n<p>Their identities have not been officially confirmed by authorities, but local media has reported they were pilgrims from Botswana.<\/p>\n<p>The bus had a Botswana licence plate, local authorities said, but the nationalities of the passengers are unknown.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"u-heading-size-medium u-heading-style-normal\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Driver_reportedly_lost_control_of_vehicle\"><\/span>Driver reportedly lost control of vehicle<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cIt is alleged that the driver lost control, colliding with barriers on the bridge causing the bus to go over the bridge and hitting the ground, where it caught fire,\u201d the transport ministry said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Images released by the transport ministry show the bus lying on its side, shattered by the impact of the fall. Its windows and roof appear to have caved in, while the shell of the trailer it was towing is visible in the distance.<\/p>\n<p>Its paint appears to have been stripped away by the blaze as firemen, standing a short distance away, hose it down.<\/p>\n<p>Other images on social media, apparently taken from the bridge, show a fire raging from the crash site as black smoke billows into the sky.<\/p>\n<p>The bridge remains closed and motorists have been told to use alternative routes.<\/p>\n<p>While South Africa has one of the African continent\u2019s most developed road networks, it also suffers from one of the worst safety records.<\/p>\n<p>Just several hours before the crash, President Cyril Ramaphosa appealed to South Africans to take care when travelling during the Easter week.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s 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,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/world-news\/2024\/03\/28\/south-africa-bridge-bus-45-killed-botswana-moria\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Forty-five people were killed in South Africa on Thursday when a bus plunged off a bridge and into a ravine, the transport ministry said. An eight-year-old girl was seriously injured in the incident and has been airlifted to hospital. She is believed to be the only survivor among the dozens of passengers. The bus is&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":614710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/content\/dam\/world-news\/2024\/03\/28\/TELEMMGLPICT000372067007_17116525686730_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq-IWLY18X4-CzgyIcjLEAj_SVWeZ_vEN7c6bHu2jJnT8.jpeg?impolicy=logo-overlay","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-614709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=614709"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614709\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/614710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=614709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=614709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=614709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}