A tragic accident occurred Tuesday morning on a highway near O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, when a bus overturned, ejecting passengers and resulting in at least 12 fatalities and 45 injuries.
According to William Nthladi, a spokesperson for Ekurhuleni Emergency Management, emergency crews arrived at the scene to find injured passengers lying across the highway. The bus, which had been transporting commuters from the township of Katlehong, east of Johannesburg, was found on its side near the edge of the road.
“Upon arrival, we found patients lying across the road,” Nthladi stated. Emergency services worked quickly to assess the situation, with rescue crews attempting to lift the bus to check for any additional victims trapped underneath.
Authorities confirmed that 12 people were declared dead at the scene by paramedics. The 45 injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals with injuries ranging from serious to critical. Among the injured was the driver of the bus, although details on their condition remain unclear.
While no other vehicles were involved in the crash, the cause of the accident has yet to be determined. Police have launched an investigation, and the scene is being treated as a crime scene due to the fatalities, according to Nthladi.
The crash has drawn significant attention, with emergency responders continuing their work to clear the site and determine the factors leading to this devastating incident. Local authorities are urging anyone with information related to the crash to come forward as investigations continue.
