Michaelhouse pupil dies in KZN school bus crash

A Michaelhouse pupil has died and over 40 others were injured when a bus overturned on the N3 near Cedara in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands on Tuesday.

TimesLIVE previously reported that paramedics had rushed to the scene where a 65-seater coach had overturned and skidded to halt on its side. Michaelhouse is one of the country's top private schools.

ER24 paramedics reported that 48 children have been injured in the crash‚ which forced the closure of the N3 northbound carriageway.

ER24 spokesperson Russell Meiring said that when medics arrived at the scene they found that many injured scholars had already climbed out of the wreckage.

“Numerous children had already climbed out of the vehicle and were found walking around on the scene. Two children were found to be in a critical condition while approximately 46 others had sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious‚” he said.

Meiring said that the condition of one of the boys deteriorated on scene.

“Paramedics attempted to resuscitate the boy but unfortunately he died at the scene‚" he said.

It is understood that the emergency service personnel had begun transporting the injured to hospitals around the provincial capital.

In a post on Michaelhouse's Facebook page‚ rector Greg Theron said: "A hire bus carrying four U16 soccer teams to Kearsney suffered from a blow-out going down Townhill near Pietermaritzburg and flipped onto its side. Boys that were injured are in the process of being taken by ambulance to hospital.

At this stage two boys are severely injured and need our prayer. We will let you know further details as soon as we have them."