Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old is only survivor

At least 45 people were killed when a bus bringing worshippers to an Easter celebration in South Africa on Thursday crashed off a bridge over a mountain pass and caught fire, according to police.

Authorities in the northern province of Limpopo said that an 8-year-old youngster was the lone survivor of the incident and that he was getting medical treatment. According to them, the youngster had severe injuries.

The bus crashed into flames after veering off the Mmamatlakala bridge and plunging 50 metres (164 feet) down a ravine, according to the provincial administration of Limpopo.

According to the province authorities, search efforts were still underway, but several of the victims were severely charred and were still inside the car.

According to authorities, the bus was likely heading to the village of Moria, which is the site of a well-known Easter pilgrimage, from the neighbouring nation of Botswana. They claimed the motorist looked to have lost control and was among the deceased.

The national Department of Transport reported that while on a road safety campaign in the province of Limpopo, Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga altered his plans and went to the scene of the collision. She conveyed her sympathies to the families of the dead and stated that an inquiry was being conducted to determine what caused the tragedy.

Given that Easter is a particularly busy and risky time of year for road travel, the South African government frequently issues warnings about the possibility of traffic accidents during this period. More than 200 people died in road crashes during the Easter weekend last year.

The Zionist Christian Church has its headquarters in Moria and its Easter pilgrimage attracts hundreds of thousands of people from across South Africa and neighboring countries. This year is the first time the Easter pilgrimage to Moria is set to go ahead since the COVID-19 pandemic.