Bereaved families who lost relatives in a bus crash outside Willowvale at the weekend yesterday officially identified the bodies at a government mortuary.
AB350, the company whose bus was involved in the crash which claimed the lives of 35 people, transported the families from their homes at 6am to the forensic pathology unit in Butterworth.
“There are five doctors conducting the post-mortems,” said health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo.
Authorities earlier gave the death toll as 36 but since adjusted the number down after a child was counted twice.
“The correct death toll is 35,” Kupelo confirmed.
Only the bodies of two women have not been identified.
He said 10 ambulances and two helicopters had been sent to the accident scene on Saturday morning where emergency personnel from SAPS, Amathole district municipality and Mbhashe municipality joined in the rescue operation, which took the whole day.
Kupelo and Arrive Alive spokesman Tshepo Machaea said the postmortem examinations started on Sunday and were completed yesterday.
“Although some people identified their loved ones on Saturday and Sunday, today is the official identification of the bodies,” said Machaea.
Social workers from the social development department and SAPS from various towns have been counselling bereaved families.
“This is a horrific accident, a bad one, and families are still not believing that their loved one have died. Some were crying, the situation here is traumatic,” said Machaea.
He said the Road Accident Fund was also assisting families with making claims and burial arrangements.
“We hope that all the bodies will be handed over to individual families today,” said Machaea said yesterday.
Machaea, who was on holiday but called back by transport MEC Weziwe Tikana, said church leaders were also assisting in calming traumatised family members.
He said forensic experts were working on the wrecked bus as part of their investigation into the accident. The bus was towed to the Willowvale TRC Hall.
Machaea said a stakeholder meeting in Willowvale yesterday discussed a mass memorial service to be held at KwaBhadi village on Thursday.
Kupelo said two of nine injured passengers admitted to hospitals were discharged yesterday.
Health Department MEC Dr Pumza Dyantyi, transport MEC Weziwe Tikana, SAPS provincial police commissioner Celiwe Binta, Mbhashe mayor Nonceba Mfecane and AB350 board chairman Simlindile Hintsa thanked all those who assisted in rescue work and counselling. —lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Grim task identifying bus crash dead
AB350, the company whose bus was involved in the crash which claimed the lives of 35 people, transported the families from their homes at 6am to the forensic pathology unit in Butterworth.
“There are five doctors conducting the post-mortems,” said health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo.
Authorities earlier gave the death toll as 36 but since adjusted the number down after a child was counted twice.
“The correct death toll is 35,” Kupelo confirmed.
Only the bodies of two women have not been identified.
He said 10 ambulances and two helicopters had been sent to the accident scene on Saturday morning where emergency personnel from SAPS, Amathole district municipality and Mbhashe municipality joined in the rescue operation, which took the whole day.
Kupelo and Arrive Alive spokesman Tshepo Machaea said the postmortem examinations started on Sunday and were completed yesterday.
“Although some people identified their loved ones on Saturday and Sunday, today is the official identification of the bodies,” said Machaea.
Social workers from the social development department and SAPS from various towns have been counselling bereaved families.
“This is a horrific accident, a bad one, and families are still not believing that their loved one have died. Some were crying, the situation here is traumatic,” said Machaea.
He said the Road Accident Fund was also assisting families with making claims and burial arrangements.
“We hope that all the bodies will be handed over to individual families today,” said Machaea said yesterday.
Machaea, who was on holiday but called back by transport MEC Weziwe Tikana, said church leaders were also assisting in calming traumatised family members.
He said forensic experts were working on the wrecked bus as part of their investigation into the accident. The bus was towed to the Willowvale TRC Hall.
Machaea said a stakeholder meeting in Willowvale yesterday discussed a mass memorial service to be held at KwaBhadi village on Thursday.
Kupelo said two of nine injured passengers admitted to hospitals were discharged yesterday.
Health Department MEC Dr Pumza Dyantyi, transport MEC Weziwe Tikana, SAPS provincial police commissioner Celiwe Binta, Mbhashe mayor Nonceba Mfecane and AB350 board chairman Simlindile Hintsa thanked all those who assisted in rescue work and counselling. —lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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