/ 27 May 2008

At least 30 die in KwaZulu-Natal bus crash

At least 30 people are believed to have died when their bus left the road and went over a cliff into a river near Cedarville in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.

An emergency worker said ambulances had been dispatched from Kokstad to the accident scene.

Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said paramedics had told him that the bus went off an 80m embankment and landed upside-down in the river.

He said at least 30 people had died.

”There are also about 30 people still trapped inside the bus and paramedics are also treating patients at the scene,” he said.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Zandra Wiid said: ”The bus apparently went down into a river and part of the bus in still in the water.

”Some people are still trapped in the bus and paramedics and police are busy now trying to take them out.”

Wild was unable to confirm the death toll.

South African Air Force spokesperson major Ronald Maseko said an Oryx helicopter carrying medical personnel was on its way to the accident scene.

Further details were not immediately available but it is believed about 80 people were on the bus. – Sapa