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Industry unites as tributes flow for truckies

Truckies

The transport industry has banded together following a fatal head on collision along South Australia’s Eyre Highway, about 27km west of Yalata last Thursday.

The two-truck accident saw three truck drivers die at the scene of the crash, with witnesses saying they could do nothing but watch as the trucks burst into flames.

Two out of the three drivers have since been identified by South Australia Police.

Neville ‘Slim’ Mugridge from Smithfield in Adelaide’s north was driving a road train, while Yadwinder Singh Bhatti from Victoria and a 25-year-old New South Wales man were travelling in a second truck.

An outpouring of support for the families has been seen over social media, with tributes and memories of the men shared across the web.

GoFundMe pages for Slim and Yadwinder have raised more than $100,000 in total for their respective families.

Slim had been a truck driver for over 50 years and was “a colourful character loved by many,” the fundraising page wrote.

A very experienced road train operator with “diesel in his veins”, he was a beloved team member of TML Transport with nearly 40 years working for the family.

At the time of writing, $36,791 has been raised over the $15,000 target to assist Slim’s wife Delphine in costs associated with his funeral and to assist her through this difficult time.

Yadwinder’s wife Ramandeep has created a GoFundMe on behalf of her family.

“His sudden loss has showed us how important it is to cherish and enjoy every, single moment, every second, just like he did, and I hope that it teaches us how to keep the memories of those around us whom we love most alive forever,” she wrote on the fundraiser.

“His smile, gentle nature, goofiness and love will be remembered after the end of time. Love you.

“We’ve been left unprepared and unable to look into the future with five mouths to feed.”

At the time of writing, $66,540 has been raised towards the $80,000 target.

The third man has yet to be identified at the time of writing, with South Australia Police continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

You can donate to Slim’s GoFundMe here, and Yadwinder’s GoFundMe here.

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