On Thursday, November 29, 2007, an accident on the road between the Phalaborwa entrance gate and the Mopani rest camp in the Kruger National Park (KNP) claimed the lives of five persons, tragically ending a vacation there.
The accident is thought to have happened about 16:45. At the scene of the accident, which was a single causeway crossing the Letaba River, the wife of a KNP officer discovered the confused driver of the car. They drove him to the Nxanatseni south regional ranger’s office at the Phalaborwa gate complex, arriving there at roughly 18h40.
Louis Olivier, a regional ranger, drove the driver to the Phalaborwa hospital, where he received treatment for shock and minor wounds. Meanwhile, emergency services from the Phalaborwa and Kruger rangers
“It is believed that the driver of the vehicle, a rented Landrover, ‘miscalculated’ the approach to the causeway, overcorrected and hit the side of the bridge, flipping over and landing on its roof in the water below,” said Raymond Travers, a spokesperson for the KNP.
Raymond claimed that the car’s windows, doors, and inflated airbags had all sustained significant damage. “On questioning, the driver had no idea how he managed to escape,” Raymond stated.
Dr. Bandile Mkhize, managing executive of KNP, visited the accident scene and the driver, an Austrian tourist who was still severely traumatized on Friday, November 30. “When we first heard about the accident, we were shocked and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and friends,” Mkhize said.
To make sure the next of kin are notified as soon as possible, Sanparks has been in contact with the Austrian embassy since Friday. “The Austrian party were booked into Mopani rest camp for three nights and were due to fly from OR Tambo International Airport to Cape Town on December 7,” Raymond explains. “We would like to thank Daan and Zena’s guest house for their kind assistance during this traumatic time,” he continues.
