A bus transporting worshippers to an Easter conference in South Africa's Limpopo province met with tragedy on Thursday as it lost control and plunged off a cliff.

The crash claimed the lives of 45 passengers and seriously injured one, reported CNN.

An eight-year-old girl survived the accident and has been airlifted to a local hospital.

According to the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the passengers onboard were on a pilgrimage, traveling from Gaborone, the capital of neighboring Botswana, to a church for an Easter conference.

The accident took place in the Mamatlakala mountain pass between Mokopane and Marken. SABC reported that the bus immediately caught fire as it fell.

South African Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga announced that the government would transport the bodies to Botswana.

"I am sending my heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the tragic bus crash near Mamatlakala. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. We continue to urge responsible driving at all times with heightened alertness as more people are on our roads this Easter weekend," Chikunga said in a statement.

The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.