Four People Lucky to Survive After Taxi Plunges into Duzi River, South Africa

Four people who were travelling in a taxi are incredibly lucky to be alive after the vehicle was swept off Barnsley Road into the swollen Duzi river in the Camps Drift area of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, on Wednesday afternoon, said ER24 medical services.

“Flash flooding from the heavy rain in the area meant the normally calm stream had burst over the top of the bridge, taking the taxi with it.

“Luckily a series of concrete bollards caught the vehicle before it dropped further over into the deeper water,” said ER24.

In a statement, the ER24 teams said: “Two men had managed to climb to safety at that point, but two others, a man and a woman, were taken by the river.”

Fortunately Search & Rescue managed to pull the two others from the reeds further down the river, before ER24 arrived on the scene just before 18h00.

“All four were treated on scene for minor cuts and abrasions – the lady who had been in the water the longest was found to be suffering from mild hyperthermia,” said ER24.

All four lucky survivors were taken to Edendale Hospital for further care.

The South African Police Service and the Fire Department were also on the scene.

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