A bus carrying worshippers on a long-distance trip from Botswana to an Easter weekend church gathering in South Africa plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass Thursday and burst into flames as it hit the rocky ground below, killing at least 45 people, authorities said. The only survivor was an 8-year-old child who was receiving medical attention for serious injuries.

The Limpopo provincial government said the driver lost control, causing the bus to veer off the Mmamatlakala bridge in northern South Africa and plunge 50 metres (164 feet) into a ravine before busting into flames. Many bodies were burned beyond recognition and trapped inside the vehicle, while others had been thrown from the bus.