Twelve Killed After Polish Tour Bus Leaves Hungarian Motorway
A bus carrying Polish pilgrims left the M3 motorway in Hungary early Sunday and overturned in a ditch. Hungarian police said they believe the driver fell asleep; twelve people died and dozens were hurt.
Twelve people were killed and dozens more were injured when a tour bus carrying Polish pilgrims left a Hungarian motorway and overturned in a ditch early Sunday.
Hungarian police said the crash happened around 1 a.m. local time on the M3 motorway, which links Budapest with the northeastern city of Nyiregyhaza. Officers said they believe the driver fell asleep at the wheel. He was taken into custody, according to police and reporting by the BBC and Hungarian state media.
The 24-tonne bus had been returning from Bosnia and Herzegovina with pilgrims from Poland's southern Podkarpacie region, Polish news agency PAP reported. There were 57 passengers and two drivers aboard.
Hungary's ambulance service said it treated one person with life-threatening injuries, nine with serious injuries, and 37 with minor injuries. Firefighters worked to free people trapped under the rear of the bus before cranes arrived to lift the vehicle, Hungarian news agency MTI reported. State media said 35 people had been rescued so far.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar offered condolences to the victims' families. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland would send a special aircraft with foreign ministry officials and medical staff. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said his Hungarian counterpart told him police had already begun questioning the driver.
The crash is one of Europe's deadliest road accidents involving a tourist coach this year. Investigators are examining the driver's condition, the bus's mechanical state, and the hours the crew had been on the road.
Families of the injured and the dead face a long wait for full identification and repatriation plans as Polish and Hungarian authorities coordinate the response.
Go Deeper
Where exactly did the crash happen?
On Hungary's M3 motorway, which runs from Budapest toward Nyiregyhaza in the northeast. The bus left the roadway and overturned in a roadside ditch around 1 a.m. local time Sunday.
Who was on the bus?
Polish pilgrims from the Podkarpacie region, returning from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Officials said 57 passengers and two drivers were aboard.
What do police say caused it?
Hungarian police said they believe the driver fell asleep. He is in custody and being questioned. A full investigation will also look at rest rules and vehicle condition.
How many people were hurt beyond the twelve killed?
Hungary's ambulance service reported one life-threatening injury, nine serious injuries, and 37 minor injuries. Rescue totals may still change as hospitals update lists.
What is Poland doing for the victims?
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland is sending a special aircraft with foreign ministry staff and medical services. Warsaw and Budapest are coordinating care and support for families.
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