Six Women Killed in R61 Crash Near Aberdeen After Quantum Collides With Truck

Six women have died after a Toyota Quantum carrying 16 passengers collided with a truck on the R61, about 30km outside Aberdeen in the Eastern Cape. The passengers were travelling from Beaufort West in the Western Cape towards the Eastern Cape when the crash occurred, according to the provincial Transport Department. Several people sustained critical injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.

Six Women Die at the Scene of the Crash

The six women died at the scene, while critically injured victims were transported to Graaff-Reinet Provincial Hospital.

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The department also reported that one of the injured people was an occupant of a Kia Rio involved in a secondary collision following the initial crash. The drivers and occupants of the other vehicles involved in that subsequent collision reportedly escaped unharmed.

Fatigue Among Suspected Contributing Factors

Fatigue is among the suspected factors that may have contributed to the deadly collision, although the exact cause has not yet been established. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

“The exact cause will be established through investigations by the relevant authorities,” the department said in a statement.

A case of culpable homicide has been opened at Aberdeen police station as investigations continue. Authorities are expected to establish what led to the collision that claimed the six women’s lives. The crash adds to the toll of serious road collisions, with several other people requiring medical treatment after the incident.