This comes after the neighbouring mountain kingdom was battered by heavy rains last week. A police spokesperson in Lesotho, Mpiti Mopeli, told OFM News the driver of the taxi with 16 passengers tried to cross the Linakaneng River in rural Thaba-Tseka last Thursday. This, despite other drivers of vehicles avoiding crossing the river.

He says once in the water the taxi turned on its side and some of the passengers disappeared under the water.

A video was recorded by a woman who witnessed the taxi driver’s attempt to cross the flooded river. The video shows the taxi toppling sideways into the water and seconds later, passengers from the taxi are seen in the fast moving water.

Mopeli says the driver of the taxi was arrested yesterday on a charge of reckless and negligent driving. At least seven of the commuters were rescued. 

The driver is expected to appear in the Thaba-Ttseka Magistrate's Court soon.

Community members along the river bank in the mountainous area are also assisting police members in their search for the missing bodies. He could not confirm how many bodies are still missing and if there are South Africans among the deceased, as the bodies recovered have not been identified yet.

OFM News