At least 12 people have died and 45 others sustained injuries after a bus overturned on a highway near Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday morning.
According to emergency officials, the crash occurred close to OR Tambo International Airport and threw passengers from the vehicle onto the road.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene to assist victims and work to lift the bus back onto its wheels amid fears that more people might be trapped underneath.
“On arrival we found patients lying across the road,” said William Nthladi, a spokesperson for the city’s Ekurhuleni Emergency Management.
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According to Sky News, authorities said the bus had been transporting passengers from the township of Katlehong, east of Johannesburg when it flipped near the edge of the highway.
“We are lost for words. This is a disaster,” said Andile Mngwevu, a local city councillor who visited the crash site. “To see so many bodies lying around is quite saddening, and the city really feels for the families who would have expected to see their loved ones return home later today. Our hearts are extremely heavy right now.”
Nthladi confirmed that 12 people were declared dead at the scene by paramedics, while survivors sustained injuries ranging from serious to critical. The bus driver was among those taken to hospital.
Officials said no other vehicle was involved in the incident, and the cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
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