Tourist dies in KNP car Accident

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK - A group of Gauteng tourists had a horrendous end to their holiday when the vehicle they were travelling in plunged off a bridge on Tuesday afternoon.

The two women, each with her two children, were driving on the main road between Skukuza and Phabeni Gate when the accident occurred. According to Supt Mtsholi Bhembe, spokesman for the police, they received a call at approximately 16:00, reporting that a vehicle had gone off a bridge a few kilometres from Phabeni Gate.

"When the police arrived on the scene they found a Toyota Rav4 lying on its roof. One of the women, Ms Annamarie Knoetze, was trapped in it," Bhembe explained. Although emergency services were alerted immediately, she died on the scene. Insp Danie Theron of White River Dog Unit with the help of the fire brigade stationed in White River, had to use the Jaws of Life to remove the body from the wreckage.

Mr Petrus Nel of ER24 Lowveld told Lowvelder the driver and the four children sustained only slight injuries and were taken to Nelspruit Medi-Clinic for treatment.

Although police had not yet been able to determine exactly how the accident occurred, it was speculated that buffalo next to the road, might have startled her.

Staff of Nelspruit-based tour operators Solitaire came upon the accident soon after it took place. The surviving occupants had by that time managed to crawl out of the vehicle and the guides calmed them down before summoning help.

Mr Raymond Travers, spokesman for the Kruger National Park (KNP), said although they had a medical doctor based in Skukuza to deal with medical emergencies they were not really equipped for specialist rescue operations such as this one and preferred to make use of experts in the field.

He added that on behalf of the KNP management, they regretted that such a serious accident could have occurred. "Our thoughts and sympathy are with the patients who are recuperating and the deceased's next of kin," Travers said. Bhembe said a post-mortem was done yesterday to determine the exact cause of death.

The police in Skukuza is investigating a case of culpable homicide.