A school transport carrying 27 pupils was involved in an accident in Hazelmere, Durban, on Friday morning.
Durban school transport overturns: Here’s everything we know
According to reports, emergency medics from Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) were called to New Glasgow Road after passers-by witnessed the shocking moment a white Kia bakkie toppled off-road.
“All available Reaction Officers and RUSA Medics were dispatched to the scene and on arrival discovered a white Kia bakkie lying on its roof on the side of the road,” RUSA confirmed in a statement.
Preliminary findings suggest the transport was carrying 27 pupils from Redcliffe Primary School when the driver botched an attempt at overtaking a silver Chevrolet Cruze.
When the driver realised he’d miscalculated the overtake, he hastily “swerved back into his lane and crashed into the Chevrolet Cruze.”
More shocking, Arrive Alive reports, when the bakkie skidded off-road and toppled over, the driver “ignored the injured children and fled the scene on foot.”
Fortunately, the pupils on board were left with minor-to-moderately serious injuries. At least 22 of them were transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
The identity of the driver remains unclear at this time. It’s believed law enforcement authorities were processing the scene of the crash with the intention of tracking down the whereabouts of the driver when this article was published.
While details remain sketchy at this time, it’s possible that the driver, if found, may face criminal charges related to reckless driving and endangerment.
This is a developing story.