Tragedy struck in Hungary as a passenger bus veered off a highway, overturning in a ditch and resulting in the loss of 12 lives while leaving several others injured.
The bus, transporting a group of Polish tourists, met with the unfortunate incident in the eastbound lanes close to Mezokeresztes, on the M3 motorway about 140 kilometers east of Budapest, around 1 a.m.
Authorities indicated that the bus driver, suspected of falling asleep at the wheel, has been detained for questioning.
A report from Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management revealed that among the 57 passengers and two drivers aboard the bus, multiple individuals were trapped beneath the overturned vehicle.
As per Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór, all occupants of the bus held Polish citizenship.
Return from Pilgrimage
According to a statement by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland, individuals from the southeastern Podkarpackie region were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, in a Facebook statement, mentioned that over 10 individuals sustained severe injuries. He extended sympathies to the victims’ families and praised the efforts of rescue personnel who swiftly responded to the scene.
Expressing profound grief, Polish President Karol Nawrocki conveyed his condolences in a post on X, offering prayers and heartfelt sympathy to the families and friends of the victims.