A tragic accident on Wednesday morning before sunrise claimed the life of one man and left 11 others injured, including a young child, when a taxi with a trailer veered off the N11, approximately 12 kilometres outside Ermelo. The taxi was travelling in the direction of Amersfoort at the time of the accident.
The exact cause of the accident remains unclear. However, reports suggest that the vehicle left the road, rolled down an embankment, and came to a stop in a wetland.
Emergency services, including ER24 and Provincial EMS, responded swiftly to the scene. Multiple ambulances transported the injured to Ermelo Provincial Hospital. Among the 11 injured, one individual sustained critical injuries, while others suffered minor to moderate injuries.
Tragically, one of the male passengers who was ejected from the vehicle during the rollover lost his life and was declared dead at the scene by paramedics. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims, and investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing. Unconfirmed reports indicate most passengers were foreign nationals from a neighbouring country.
This accident serves as a reminder of the importance of road safety, especially during low-visibility conditions in the early morning hours.