Dozens feared dead in South African May Day bus crash

Rescuers fight to pull submerged bus from dam

Bethlehem emergency service members are still battling to extract the bodies of the dead from a dam near the eastern Free State town after a bus travelling to a May Day rally plunged into the water.

A Bethlehem emergency services spokesperson said "many" bodies had been recovered, but could not put a number to the dead. Officials fear that up to 80 people died in the early morning crash.

The spokesperson said they were battling to hook a tow vehicle to the bus as there were few structures on the submerged vehicle to which to attach a line.

Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesperson Patrick Craven said on Thursday morning that he was "utterly shocked" to hear of the accident.

"I am utterly shocked. I don't know what to say," said Craven, who had just heard of the accident and had sketchy information.

Eastern Free State police reported that up to 80 people could be dead after the bus carrying 90 Northern Cape Cosatu members to a May Day rally in Qwa Qwa ended up in a dam outside Bethlehem on Thursday morning.

Senior Superintendent Sam Sesing said 10 people had been admitted to hospital.

He said that in the early hours of the morning, the bus driver apparently lost his way in Bethlehem and ended up driving along a gravel road.

"According to information, unknown to the driver the road led to a big dam outside Bethlehem. The bus is under water and rescue operations are under way at the moment." - Sapa


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