School bus plunges into river, kills 14 kids

Fourteen children and their driver have died when an overloaded school bus crashed into a river near Knysna.

The 35-seat African Express bus was transporting 56 pupils to Rheenendal Primary School at about 8am when it careered off a bridge and plunged into the swollen Kasatdrift River.

The river, normally a trickle, was close to bursting its banks after heavy rains.

Police spokesman Captain Malcolm Pojie said the children, aged between six and 16, were trapped when the vehicle sank front-first into the river

Brett Staegemann, the first to dive in to try to save the children, was on his way to work.

"I was running late. I wish I'd been there just one minute earlier," he said.

"I immediately jumped in and entered the bus through the back window.

"There were a lot of school bags on the surface of the water and I had to get those out of the way before I could dive down between the seats. It was pitch black down there and very cramped. I couldn't see anything.

"I felt around and I reached one child but I couldn't get him out because he was stuck.

"I went back up for air and when I dived down the second time I managed to get hold of another child and I pulled him or her out.

"I was shouting for people on the side to help me and someone took the child from me through the window. Sadly, I am sure that little child did not survive."

Johan Luiters, who works nearby, said he arrived on the scene shortly after 8am.

"People had broken out the bus windows and many of the children were already taken out."

ER24 spokesman Andre Visser said that when his paramedics arrived only the back of the bus was visible.

They found one child not breathing and without a pulse. The child was declared dead at the scene.

Divers were called in to retrieve the bodies of the other 13 children and the driver.

Paramedics treated the remaining 42 children for injuries ranging from scrapes and bruises to suspected back and neck injuries.

Andrew Malan and his wife, Liesl, said they arrived on the scene shortly after being told that their daughter, Heidi, 13, was in the bus. Heidi, who had a head injury, was admitted to the Knysna Provincial Hospital with the other survivors.

The children, from the surrounding forestry areas of Goldfield, Bibbieshoek, Highway and Bramakrans, were picked up by the bus driver, Pastor Taan Colin Payle, daily.

Madeleine Conradie, Payle's niece, said "Oom Taan" had retired because of ill-health but returned to work a month ago when the company struggled to find another driver.

"He loved the children and they all cared for him; he was a wonderful person."

She said he had often complained about the bus's brakes.

But African Express owner Pravin Singh said Payle had not complained to him about the brakes.

"We tried our best to keep the bus roadworthy and we have a job card showing that the brakes were renewed in March and were in good working order," he said.

President Jacob Zuma sent his condolences to the families of the victims.

"The loss of such young lives is very painful for all of us. We share the families' loss and pain ."