[imagesource: Garrith Jamieson]

One person has died as a result of an accident that took place in the Durban CBD on Saturday afternoon.

Things could have been so much worse had the taxi that was on the receiving end of the bakkie been full, but thankfully there were no occupants inside at the time.

The accident, which took place at the Pine Street Cathedral corner, began with the bakkie plunging off an elevated section of the N3.

IOL spoke with Garrith Jamieson, an Advanced Life Support Paramedic:

“The bakkie had two passengers, the driver, a male believed to be in his 30s sustained major injuries and there was nothing more paramedics could do for him and he was declared dead at the scene.

“The passenger, believed to be in his 20s, was in a serious condition. He was stabilised by Life Response’s advanced life support paramedics before being transported to a nearby hospital for further care.”

Given the footage you’re about to see, it’s pretty remarkable that one of the bakkie’s occupants survived:

If the video above doesn’t work for mobile users, you can see the same footage below:

A bakkie plunges off the N3 into a taxi at a rank in Pine Street, Durban, on November 14 2020. Video supplied by Garrith Jamieson. @TimesLIVE pic.twitter.com/0WOI39h096

— David Chambers (@daveincapetown) November 14, 2020

Durban Central SAPS Captain Nqobile Gwala offered this statement:

“It is alleged on 14 November 2020, a vehicle was travelling on the N3 incoming bridge to Commercial Road. Whilst on the bridge, it is not known how the vehicle veered out of control and plunged over the bridge and landed on top of a taxi at the corner of Pine Street and Russell Street…

The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated.”

A case of culpable homicide has been opened.

[source:iol]