Truck Falls 50 Meters Into River

ER24 paramedics were called to the R59 at the Vaal River bridge, just before the Voortrekker Road off ramp after bystanders witnesses an articulated truck leaving the road falling into the river below. 

It appeared that the male driver of the truck was still inside the vehicle when the accident occurred. As paramedics arrived on the scene, they noticed that the side barrier of the bridge was ripped apart, and as they looked over, they saw the back end of a large truck's container, floating approximately a meter out of the brown water. The cabin of the truck was not visible. Immediately, rescue divers were notified and called to the scene. 

Unfortunately, the water level was very high, with the truck lying almost in the middle of the river between the two banks. It would prove impossible for paramedics to access the vehicle, and they would have to wait upon the divers to arrive. Fortunately they were on scene within minutes, and they began trying to access the river from the banks below.

Updates from the paramedics on scene, almost an hour after the incident is believed to have occurred, the divers were still struggling to find the front cabin of the truck. It seems that the trucks' front may have become detached from the rear containers as it crashed toward the river, therefore landing somewhat away from the rear.

It is still unclear as to what may have caused this incident, and whether there was more than one person in the vehicle at the time. It is also presumed that the driver is deceased, whether due to mechanism or drowning. Rescue divers will continue every effort to locate the man.

Traffic over the bridge became severely affected as community members learner of the accident and wanted to have a look. Police and traffic services were on scene assisting with traffic and the influx of people.