Rescue operations continued until the late hours of Thursday – with some bodies burned beyond recognition and others trapped inside the debris.
Bus plunges off bridge in South Africa killing 45 people
Authorities in South Africa report that forty-five have died after a bus veered off a bridge, plummeting approximately 50 meters (165 feet) into a ravine.
The bus, carrying pilgrims from Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, to an Easter service in Moria, burst into flames upon impact after crashing through a barrier in Limpopo province’s north-eastern region.
The accident occurred on the Mmamatlakala mountain pass between Mokopane and Marken, approximately 300 kilometres (190 miles) north of Johannesburg.
According to reports from South African public broadcaster SABC, rescue efforts persisted late into the evening on Thursday, with some of the victims difficult to reach amidst the wreckage.
Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, who went to the scene of the incident, extended her “heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the tragic bus crash”.
She said the South African government would help repatriate the bodies and hold a full inquiry into the cause of the crash.
8 year old survives bus crash
The sole survivor, an eight-year-old girl, sustained severe injuries and was rushed to the hospital.