/ 25 October 2003

Child’s hand found at horror crash scene

One more person has died and a hand belonging to a three-year-old child has been found near the scene of a truck accident on the Main Street in Mount Frere near Umtata, Eastern Cape transport officials said on Saturday.

The accident occured when a truck travelling from Umtata collided with 12 stationary vehicles, killing 11 and injuring 28 on Friday afternoon.

Spokesperson Tshepo Machaea said one more person died at the hospital on Friday night, bringing the death toll to 12.

While emergency services team were clearing the road in the evening, they found a child’s hand and fingers lying between the wheels of a trailer.

Machaea said his department and police were on their way to the mortuary in order to establish if any of the bodies were missing body parts.

It was alleged that the driver of the truck had lost control of the vehicle after the brakes failed. He was arrested and has been charged with homicide. — Sapa