A pupil has succumbed to his injuries and 8 were seriously injured when the bus they were travelling in overturned on Town Hill in Pietermaritzburg this afternoon.
The bus, carrying pupils from Michaelhouse on their way to a U16 soccer meeting at Kearsney College suffered a blowout on the N3 between Hilton and Pietermaritzburg.
Reports from the scene suggest that the driver lost control and the bus swerved off the southbound freeway and landed on northbound freeway shortly before the Hilton offramp.
ER24 paramedics found a school bus lying on its side on the side of the road.
A number of school boys had climbed out of the vehicle.
At the time they confirmed two children were in a critical condition and had been treated with advanced life support while 46 others had sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious.
Later IPSS medical rescue confirmed one of the pupils had died and eight were seriously injured.
Local authorities closed off the road while paramedics assessed the patients.
Earlier Michaelhouse rector Greg Theron said a hire bus transporting four U16 soccer teams to Kearsney College suffered a blow out on the N3 between Hilton and Pietermaritzburg. He said two boys were seriously injured and “need out prayers”.
Traffic was backed up on both sides of the freeway while traffic authorities urged motorists to use other routes.
