Five pupils have died after a train collided with a school bus in Middelburg,Mpumalanga, South Africa, officials say.
The crash happened around midday on Thursday when the bus, carrying students home from school, was struck at a level crossing.
Emergency services are at the scene, cutting through wreckage in an attempt to rescue any survivors trapped in the bus.
The exact number of injured is not yet known, authorities are working as quickly as possible to reach those who may still be trapped.
The learners died after a goods train and a scholar transport bus collided at a level crossing at Mafube Village outside Middelburg on Wednesday.
Nineteen others are still in hospital and some are said to be in a critical condition.
The bus driver is also receiving treatment at the hospital, while those in the train didn’t sustain any injuries.
According to police, the scholar transport bus did not stop at the level crossing line which lead to the tragedy.
Devastated parents were at the scene, collecting the belongings of their children. Some parents are pointing fingers at the driver of the bus.
An investigation into the cause of the crash has been launched.
Local residents have been urged to avoid the area to allow emergency services to work unimpeded.
This incident comes amid ongoing concerns about road safety in South Africa, particularly regarding scholar transport.
