Three construction workers dead, two buried under the soil after collapse at Ballito construction site

Three construction workers have been confirmed dead and two more are still buried under the ground after an embankment collapsed at a construction site in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday morning.

IPPS Medical Rescue Services spokesperson Samantha Meyrick said they were conducting the search with other agencies, but the mission had to be called off due to multiple collapses of the embankment.

“eThekwini fire department is on route with suitable equipment to continue with the recovery of the deceased,” she said.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the George Municipality announced that search and rescue efforts were now completed after an apartment construction collapsed on Victoria Street and claimed 33 lives.

The municipality said the scene has now been classified as a crime scene and has officially been handed over for a formal investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Thereafter it will be handed over to the Department of Labour and Employment for their formal investigation to be conducted.

The municipality said based on information received from the contractor on site, SAPS, and other emerging external sources (witness statements), the estimated number of individuals on site during the incident amounted to approximately 81.

“We are aware that as the incident unfolded the numbers fluctuated, however, we can now officially confirm that with the rescue and recovery efforts now completed, only 62 individuals are accounted for.”

The numbers are as follows:

* Rescued and recovered: 62

* Deceased: 33 (of the 33 deceased, two still to be formally identified.)

* Hospitalised: 10

* Discharged: 19

List of nationalities present on the incident site:

* South Africa: 15

* Mozambique: 19

* Zimbabwe: 7

* Malawi: 13

* Lesotho: 5

* Permanent Residency Holder: 1

* Unknown nationality: 2

The municipality said repatriations are being undertaken by the Consulates of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Lesotho.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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