Man killed after truck crashes into river

Rentse Khiba

20 October 2015

A man was killed and two others injured this afternoon after their truck left a district road and crashed into a river bed in the Sweetwaters area in Pietermaritzburg.

ER24 paramedics, along with Search and Rescue, arrived on scene and found the wrecked truck lying up against a small river bank.

On assessment, paramedics found the lifeless body of the male driver lying 15 metres away from the vehicle. Two other male patients lay trapped inside the truck in a critical condition.

“The lifeless patient was assessed and found that he had already succumbed to his fatal injuries.  Nothing more could be done for the patient and he was declared dead on the scene.” Meiring said.

The two other occupants were assessed and found to be in a critical condition. Rescue services ha to use the jaws-of-law equipment to free both patients and thereafter transported them to Edendale Hospital for urgent treatment.

It is understood that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll down the embankment. The driver apparently attempted to jump from the moving vehicle but got caught beneath the back wheels.

Local authorities were on scene for further investigation Meiring concluded.