Bystanders’ brave rescue effort in car accident near Pietermaritzburg
Three people were killed in a crash outside Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday night.
Image: ALS Paramedics
When a vehicle left the road and crashed into a river in the Inkanyezini area near Lion Park, just outside Pietermaritzburg, on Tuesday night, bystanders sprung into action and tried to save the occupants of the vehicle.
According to ALS Paramedics, the Good Samaritans dashed into the water and managed to pull two women from the car; however, they were unfortunately declared deceased at the scene. The driver of the vehicle also died.
ALS Paramedics said the crash occurred shortly after 9:15 pm. “ALS Paramedics responded to the horrific crash to find SAPS already in attendance,” the service said.
Emergency personnel were informed that the vehicle had lost control before colliding with a roadside barrier and a water pump. The vehicle then left the roadway and plunged into a nearby river.
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, members of the public attempted to help. ALS Paramedics reported that “courageous bystanders entered the flowing river to assist” and managed to pull two female occupants from the wreckage, bringing them to the riverbank.
Paramedics assessed the two women, believed to be in their twenties and thirties. However, “they showed no signs of life and were declared deceased at the scene,” ALS Paramedics confirmed.
The male driver, believed to be in his thirties, remained trapped inside the vehicle, which was submerged in the river. SAPS Search and Rescue units from Pietermaritzburg were dispatched to the scene and established a technical rescue operation. Officers entered the water, extracted the driver, and recovered the vehicle. The man was also declared dead at the scene.
“At this stage, the events leading up to the crash remain unknown,” ALS Paramedics said, adding that SAPS were on the scene and will be conducting a full investigation to determine the cause of the accident.