Tragic bus accident in South Africa claims 45 lives; 8-year-old girl miraculously survives as coach falls off bridge into ravine and catches fire

A horror bus crash in South Africa has left 45 dead and only one survivor, an eight-year-old girl, who is being treated in hospital.

The bus plunged into a ravine after the driver lost control and collided with barriers on a bridge in the northeastern province of Limpopo, the transport ministry said.

It landed on a rocky surface some 50 metres below the bridge, known as the Mamatlakala Pass, before bursting into flames, according to reports.

The passenger bus was transporting pilgrims from Botswana, a country in Southern Africa, to Moria, a town in Limpopo, for an Easter weekend church service.

Rescue operations continued late into this evening, as some bodies were burned beyond recognition, others trapped inside the debris and scattered on the scene, Limpopo’s Department of Transport said.

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash on the R518 in the Waterberg district in Limpopo

Pictures show the wreckage of the bus in flames after it plunged off the bridge

Black smoke engulfed the passenger bus and firefighters were pictured at the scene

The bus had a Botswana licence plate, local authorities said, but the nationalities of the passengers was still being checked. 

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, who visited the crash site, sent her condolences to the bereaved families and the Botswana government.

‘I am sending my heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the tragic bus crash, near Mamatlakala. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. With heightened alertness, we continue to urge responsible driving at all times as more people are on our roads this Easter weekend,’ Chikunga said.

The minister added that the cause of the crash is under investigation. 

A view of the bridge, known as the Mamatlakala Pass, located in the northeast province of Limpopo

The accident occurred on the major bridge linking two hillsides near Mmamatlakala, around 190 miles from Johannesburg.

While South Africa has one of the African continent’s most developed road networks, it also suffers from one of the worst safety records. 

Just hours before the crash, President Cyril Ramaphosa appealed to South Africans to take care when travelling during the Easter week.

‘Let’s 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,’ he said in a statement.

There were 252 deaths in crashes over the four-day Easter weekend in the country last year, according to reports.