20 dead and 68 injured in a head-on collision between a bus and van in South Africa

At least 20 dead and 68 people have been injured after a passenger bus crashed into a van armored to carry cash in the northern province of Limpopo, South Africa, said officials, reported Associated Press. The crash took place on the N1 freeway in the Makhado area on Monday evening. The two vehicles collided head-on, as per the paramedics who were the first responders to the accident. 

[LOUIS TRICHARDT] Twenty killed as bus rolls from bridge into a river following a head-on collisionhttps://t.co/7dWgz1jsgR pic.twitter.com/w6dAvJ3h3D

— ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd. (@ER24EMS) February 13, 2023

Bus crash in South Africa

In the accident, the passenger bus had rolled down a slope into a river and some passengers were found trapped underneath.

"Three people by the highway were confirmed dead while 16 other bodies were found by the river where the bus had rolled", said  Ross Campbell, ER24 paramedics spokesperson. 

Further, he added, "Most of the fatalities down the river had been trapped under the bus.” He also shared that the injured received treatments at the accident site while some of them were transported to the hospital, reported AP. Police have been investigating the accident site. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has condoled to the families of the 20 people who died in the bus crash, reported in a local South African newspaper. 

“As compatriots, we are deeply saddened when we experience such a loss of life on our roads. Incidents like this impact severely on families who lose loved ones as well on survivors or witnesses who are affected physically or psychologically when such tragedy happens,” said Ramaphosa.