Horrific N2 crash under probe
THE cause of Sunday afternoon’s horrific accident on the N2, which claimed five lives, is still under police investigation. Four people were declared dead at the crash scene near Mtunzini and three were left critically injured after a high-impact, head-on collision. One of the vehicles involved in the accident, a Mercedes-Benz caught alight owing to the impact, and a driver who was entrapped in the wreckage burnt to death.
Paul Herbst from IPSS paramedics said three occupants from the second vehicle were also declared dead at the accident scene. A fifth victim was reported to have passed away in hospital on Sunday evening. ‘Another three victims from the same vehicle were entrapped in the wreckage and they suffered serious injuries.
‘Firefighters and Rescue Services had to use the Jaws of Life to free the entrapped occupants from the vehicle, whilst the Black Eagle/IPSS paramedical service, together with KZN Health Department air ambulance, were dispatched to scene,’ said Herbst.
He added that paramedics from IPSS, KZN Health Department and KwaZulu Private worked together to stabilise the injured passengers, before they were airlifted to hospital.
King Cetshwayo Police Cluster spokesman, Captain Mbongeni Mdlalose, said a case of homicide was opened at eSikhaleni SAPS.
‘The identity of the deceased will not be released at this stage, as we are trying to track down their next of kin,’ Mdlalose said on Monday.