At least 21 people were killed in an accident between a truck and a school van northeast of South Africa. The incident occurred in Phongolo, KwaZulu-Natal, and all the occupants of the van, 19 students and two adults, died instantly.
The local Department of Transportation indicated this Saturday that police officers, along with paramedics, remained at the impact site where some bodies were still trapped.
Truck driver in Phongolo horror crash arrested within hours after KZN Transport MEC called for his arrest https://t.co/wWfoYuQelm #ArriveAlive #truck Crash @KZNTransport @SAPoliceService
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) September 17, 2022
“We are very disturbed by this fatal event. The loss of so many young lives is a tragedy,” the Department for Transport said in a statement.
The South African authorities indicated that they were investigating the causes of the accident and called on citizens to respect traffic laws. The truck driver had been arrested on Saturday after absconding and is expected to appear before the Phongolo Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Authorities also called for calm as other vehicles were set on fire and stoned by angry members of the community.
The accident occurred when a truck tried to overtake another, but crashed head-on with the truck that was transporting the students, who were returning home from school, the agency detailed. Xinhua.
Horrifying dashcam footage shows truck driver overtaking on double barrier line and crashing into vehicle killing 21 occupants [ 19 primary school children] near Pongola in KZN https://t.co/FZLbNnRLKA #ArriveAlive @eNCA pic.twitter.com/InoLwpulXZ
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) September 17, 2022
“It was a head-on collision and there were some people trapped in the pickup. We are of the strong opinion that such accidents are the result of driver behavior,” explained Sipho, a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Transport Executive Council.
The Cuban foreign minister lamented this Sunday on Twitter the event.
