A tragic incident unfolded early Sunday in Hungary as a passenger bus veered off a highway and flipped over into a ditch, resulting in the death of 12 individuals and causing injuries to several others. The bus, transporting a group of Polish tourists, was traveling on the eastbound lanes close to Mezokeresztes when the accident occurred on the M3 motorway, approximately 140 kilometers east of Budapest around 1 a.m.
According to authorities, the bus driver is suspected to have fallen asleep at the wheel and has been apprehended. Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management reported that among the 57 passengers and two drivers onboard, a number of passengers were trapped under the bus following the overturn.
In a statement to the news agency PAP, Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór confirmed that all individuals aboard held Polish citizenship. The passengers were said to be returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as stated by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland, via a Facebook announcement.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, in a Facebook post, revealed that over 10 people sustained severe injuries in the accident. He extended his sympathies to the victims’ families and expressed gratitude to the rescue teams deployed to the site. Polish President Karol Nawrocki also conveyed his profound sadness over the tragedy, offering prayers and heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and friends.