Twenty lives were lost in an horrific bus accident just before the Hendrik Verwoerd tunnels on the N1 north outside Louis Trichardt late Monday afternoon, 13 February. The deceased and injured were mostly commuters returning home after work.
The accident occurred just after 17:00. According to a media statement issued by the provincial Department of Transport and Community Safety, a cash-in-transit truck collided head-on with a bus. The bus capsized and rolled down a steep embankment into a nearby river, trapping many of the passengers underneath it.
Apart from the 20 passengers who died, ten 10 passengers are reported to have sustained serious injuries. Sixteen passengers escaped with moderate injuries, while 35 sustained minor injuries. Passengers with injuries were transported to the Louis Trichardt, Elim and Siloam hospitals for medical attention.
"The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The road is now open for traffic. Motorists are advised to proceed with caution," said the department. Due to heavy rains over the area throughout the night, a travel warning was issued on Tuesday morning. "[The] N1 North just before Hendrik Verwoerd Tunnels remains an issue due to the serious accident of last night. Traffic is moving but we don't know if the road will be closed again. Motorists are advised to use the route at their own discretion," was the warning issued by the Soutpansberg Town Watch.
In the meantime, the police diving team have activated a search of the nearby river for people who might have been swept away following the crash.