CAPE TOWN, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 people were killed in a road accident Monday in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, local authorities confirmed.
A horrific head-on collision involving a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a minibus taxi on the N9 road just outside Graaff-Reinet, a town in the Eastern Cape Province, in the early hours of Monday, claimed 14 lives, according to Eastern Cape Transport Department spokesperson Unathi Binqose.
Binqose said the SUV, carrying six occupants, collided with a fully loaded minibus taxi traveling from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape.
Binqose also said all six occupants of the SUV and eight occupants of the minibus taxi died on the scene. It is believed that the six people in the SUV were members of the same family.
The spokesperson described the crash as the worst seen since the start of the festive season, which commenced on Dec. 1.
"The scene is still active at this stage as emergency rescue personnel continue to work hard to save as many lives as possible," he said.
The number of injured has not been confirmed, but local media reports said 11 people who were injured in the accident are being treated in hospital. ■