Update

BEAUFORT WEST NEWS - A horrific accident on the R61 between Beaufort West and Aberdeen has claimed ten lives so far.

Shortly after 02:00 this morning, Thursday 30 August, a bus belonging to Naledi Coach Services, a company based in Philippi in Cape Town, overturned on the R61 about 50km from Beaufort West. The bus was travelling from Cape Town to the former Transkei.

According to Beaufort West SAPS Communication Officer Capt Dawid de Klerk, it is thought that the driver hit a kudu or similar large buck, as the remains of an animal were seen in the road nearby.

The bus overturned and ended up on its side, leaving many people were trapped inside and under the vehicle.

Nine passengers, including a two-month old baby, died at the scene of the accident, and 33 people, including both the drivers, were taken to Beaufort West Provincial Hospital. One of the passengers who had been extricated from bus died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Of the remainder, 24 were treated for minor injuries and discharged.

A further four passengers were in a critical condition on arrival at the hospital. They were airlifted to George, where two were admitted to the George Provincial Hospital, and one to the George Mediclinic. The fourth critically-injured passenger is a young child, and it is not certain at this stage whether the child will be admitted to George Provincial Hospital, or transferred to Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.

According to Nadia Ferreira, Principal Communications Officer for the Eden and Central Karoo Districts for Western Cape Government Health, another five seriously injured patients have been admitted to Beaufort West Hospital for treatment.

At this stage, it is thought that one of the drivers is among those seriously injured, and according to Capt de Klerk’s latest information, this driver and another patient may still be transferred to George this afternoon.

Read a previous article: Gru-ongeluk: Dodetal styg tot 10

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