A tragic incident occurred early Sunday in Hungary when a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the highway near Mezokeresztes and flipped over into a ditch, resulting in 12 fatalities and several injuries. The bus, traveling on the eastbound lanes of the M3 motorway, overturned approximately 140 kilometers east of Budapest at around 1 a.m.
Authorities indicated that the bus driver, who is suspected of falling asleep at the wheel, has been apprehended. According to Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management, the bus was carrying 57 passengers and two drivers, with some passengers becoming trapped under the vehicle after the accident.
All individuals on board the bus are reported to hold Polish citizenship, as confirmed by Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór. The passengers were residents of the southeastern Podkarpackie region and were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as stated by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar of Hungary acknowledged that at least 10 individuals sustained severe injuries in the crash. He extended his sympathies to the victims’ families and commended the prompt response of the rescue teams deployed to the site. Polish President Karol Nawrocki also expressed profound sadness over the incident, offering prayers and condolences to the affected families and friends.
The tragic bus accident serves as a somber reminder of the risks associated with road travel and the importance of adhering to safety regulations to prevent such devastating occurrences.