Human Interest 8-Year-Old Sole Survivor of Bus Crash That Killed 45 People Discharged from the Hospital On March 28, a bus crashed over the Mmamatlakala Bridge in the northern province of Limpopo, South Africa By Brian Brant Brian Brant Brian Brant is an Associate Editor, Human Interest, at PEOPLE. His work has previously appeared 1010 WINS/WCBS 880 and NewsBreak. People Editorial Guidelines and Gabrielle Rockson Gabrielle Rockson Gabrielle Rockson is a staff writer-reporter for PEOPLE. She joined PEOPLE in 2023 and covers entertainment and human interest stories. She's interviewed David Beckham, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet and many others. Her previous work can be found in OK! Magazine, MyLondon, GRM Daily, and more. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 3, 2024 01:05PM EDT Wreckage of the bus crash. Photo: AP Photo/Themba Hadebe An 8-year-old sole survivor of a bus crash that killed 45 other people in the northern province of Limpopo, South Africa, on March 28 was released from the hospital. The Limpopo Department of Health (Bophelong) announced in a statement on Wednesday that the girl — who has been identified as Atlang Siako by the Associated Press — was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, April 3. She's set to travel to Gaborone, Botswana, with her mother after departing from Polokwane Airport. "Limpopo Health MEC, Dr. Phophi Ramathuba is this morning bidding farewell to the 8-year-old girl who survived the bus accident ferrying the Botswana nationals who were going to the Easter pilgrimage at ZCC St. Engenas in Moria," the Limpopo Department of Health said. "The girl, together with her mother, departed from Polokwane Airport and will be going to Gaborone, via OR Tambo International Airport." According to the AP, Limpopo provincial Health Minister Phophi Ramathuba told reporters on April 3 that the 8-year-old was "in a position where we can now release her to her home because at the same time the psychological impact of being away from home does have an impact on the total, complete healing." Mmamatlakala Bridge. Traffic Policing Affairs Limpopo/Facebook 45 Dead After Bus Full of Easter Worshippers Plunges Off Bridge with 8-Year-Old Child Only Survivor The horrific crash happened after a bus transporting crashed over the Mmamatlakala Bridge, the province's Department of Transport and Community Safety said in a statement posted to Facebook on March 28. According to the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the passengers were a group from Botswana, who were traveling to a church in Moira for an Easter conference. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. “According to reports, the driver lost control, and the bus fell onto a rocky surface some 50 meters [164 feet] under the bridge and caught fire," the department said. Per the AP, the bus ultimately landed in a ravine before being consumed by flames. PEOPLE has reached out to the Department of Transport and the Limpopo Department of Health. Wreckage of the bush crash. Shiraaz Mohamed/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 10-Year-Old Girl Killed in New Jersey Bus Crash Laid to Rest: 'We Know That An Angel Was Needed' Once the rescue teams responded, they discovered some of the victims’ bodies “were burned beyond recognition,” while other bodies were “trapped inside the debris and others scattered on the scene.” Resident Simone Mayema told The Washington Post that he was one of the first to arrive at the scene. “We tried to help [but] there was nothing we could do because there [were] flames," he said. In a statement posted to X (formerly known as Twitter), South Africa's Department of Transport said the 8-year-old girl had been "seriously injured" in the accident. Efforts to identify the remains of those who died in the accident are still ongoing, according to the AP.