Media Alert: Touws River Taxi Accident - 15 May 2011

On 15 May 2011, 5 km outside of Touws River on the N1 (direction Lainsburg) past 05:00 in the morning, a minibus taxi carrying 22 passengers rolled, causing the loss of ten people's lives and 14 injured survivors. The taxi was traveling from the Eastern Cape and was destined for Cape Town.

Survivors who sustained multiple fractures were treated and removed from the vehicle by EMS personnel using the Jaws of Life and transported to the Provincial Worcester Hospital.

The ten deceased included six adult females, two adult males, a 13-year-old boy and a two-year-old. The bodies of the deceased were transported to Worcester Forensic Pathology Services.

Post-mortem on the bodies will be finalised today. A formal identification of the deceased will be conducted with the families and the deceased will be released to the families.