Paramedics confirmed that three passengers declared dead on the scene after the bus plunged off the bridge on R102 near Maidstone Sugar Mill at Tongaat in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday morning.

IPSS Medical Rescue statement confirmed that earlier this morning IPSS Medical Rescue,IPSS Search & Rescue and other services responded to reports of a bus crash on the R102 near Maidstone Sugar Mill.

IPSS Medical Rescue revealed that on arrival of emergency services it was established that a fully laden bus had veered off the Tongaat River Bridge on the R102.

The paramedics mentioned that passengers sustained serious injuries and those who entrapped were rescued and stabilised on the scene then after were transported to hospital.

"Twelve people sustained serious injuries with some entrapped in the wreckage.

The entrapped passengers were extricated by Tongaat Fire Department.They were then stabilised by paramedics on scene before being transported to hospital for further care,"said IPSS Medical Rescue.

The paramedics pointed out that the rescue mission was not easy and two patients were rescued using a high angle rope system,and also added that three deceased were recovered in a same manner. 

"A very difficult high angle rescue mission was done by our IPSS Search and Rescue members 2 patients were taken up to the bridge with a high angle rope system and stokes basket.

Sadly three people were declared deceased on scene and their bodies were also recovered with the same high angle rope system and stokes basket,"added IPSS Medical Rescue.

The statement highlighted that the rescue mission was conducted by IPSS Search and Rescue,IPSS Search and Rescue Tongaat,SAPS K9 Search and Rescue,Metro Police Search and Rescue,EMRS and bystanders.