DURBAN - EMERGENCY crews today recovered the bodies of two men after the vehicle they were travelling in veered of the roadway and plunged into a river.
ER24 spokesperson, Russel Meiring, said the vehicle crashed off a bridge over the R716 in Orangeville yesterday.
He said on scene, the SAPS Diving Unit and the NSRI began to search the surrounding water.
"After some time, no bodies were found and the search was called off. Earlier this morning, SAPS divers and the NSRI continued the search. After a few hours, divers found the bodies of two men," he said.
He said the NSRI and SAPS Diving Unit will remain on the scene to search for other bodies.
The details of this incident are unknown, but authorities will investigate further.
In a separate incident, a man and woman were killed and fifteen others injured last night when a taxi and a light motor vehicle collided at the R21 and R25 intersection in Kempton Park.
Meiring said ER24 paramedics and other services arrived on the scene and found a wrecked taxi upright on the side of the road. A light motor vehicle was seen in the middle of the intersection. Several people were found lying around the two vehicles.
He said medics quickly assessed the patients and found that the taxi driver had already succumbed to his injuries. "One man and two women had sustained critical injuries, while thirteen others had sustained minor to moderate injuries.
Medics immediately treated the patients and provided the three critical patients with advanced life support. During the intervention, the critical woman's vital signs rapidly diminished. CPR and further advanced life support were initiated. Unfortunately, after a short time, the woman succumbed to her injuries," he said.
Once the patients had been treated, they were transported to nearby hospitals for urgent care.
Local authorities were on the scene for further investigations.
IOL