At least 42 people have died and 49 others sustained injuries after a passenger bus carrying Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals plunged into a ravine along the N1 highway in Limpopo Province, South Africa, on Sunday night.
According to transport authorities, the vehicle was travelling from the city of Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape when it lost control while negotiating a steep mountain pass, veered off the road, and tumbled down an embankment.
The Limpopo Department of Transport confirmed that the victims included seven children, 18 women, and 17 men. Emergency responders worked through the night to recover bodies and rescue the injured from the mangled wreckage.
President Cyril Ramaphosa described the crash as a “heart-wrenching tragedy,” saying the loss of lives extended beyond South Africa’s borders.
“This is not only a national tragedy but also a sorrow shared with our sister nations of Zimbabwe and Malawi. We grieve with the families who have lost loved ones,” Ramaphosa said in a statement.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, though officials suspect the sharp bends and steep descent of the mountain stretch may have contributed.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and other senior officials are scheduled to visit the crash site and the injured survivors in hospital.
Authorities have not released the total number of passengers on board or confirmed whether the bus was overloaded at the time of the incident.
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