Staff Reporter.
Seven people lost their lives and 52 suffered injuries when a bus veered off the road on the Long Tom Pass in Mpumalanga on Friday evening.
The bus plunged off a cliff on the mountain pass on the R37 road between Lydenburg and Sabie.
Emer-G-Med paramedics spokesperson Kyle van Reenen says over 50 people were injured, including the driver.
“Three people were found to be in a critical condition and were airlifted by the Netcare911 aeromedical helicopter to specialist facilities for further care.
“Specialist rescue personnel descended to the wreckage and the injured were brought back up to the roadside. A total of fifty two commuters were left with injuries ranging from minor to critical.
“Seven people sustained fatal injuries and were declared dead on the scene,” confirmed Van Reenen.
Mpumalanga Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) for Community Safety, Vusi Shongwe, has called on motorists to be cautious during this festive season.
“We are concerned about the number of fatalities that the province recorded so far from the crashes since last week. We continue to make a clarion call to motorists to be extremely vigilant amid rising traffic volumes.”
Meanwhile Emer-G-Med paramedics responded to the scene of a separate car crash in Mpumalanga on Thursday night.
The driver of a SUV died in a high-speed crash on the R40 in the Nelspruit area.
“On arrival on scene a SUV was found to have crashed into a stationary vehicle at high speed before overturning.
“The driver of the SUV was found to have sustained fatal injuries and was declared dead on arrival of paramedics,” Emer-G-Med said.
Compiled by Lehlohonolo Lehana.