A tragic incident occurred early Sunday in Hungary as a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the road and flipped over into a ditch, resulting in 12 fatalities and several injuries. The accident took place on the eastbound lanes near Mezokeresztes, on the M3 motorway approximately 140 kilometers east of Budapest around 1 a.m. Police indicated that the bus driver, who is now in custody, likely fell asleep at the wheel.
According to Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management, the bus had 57 passengers and two drivers onboard, with some passengers becoming trapped under the overturned vehicle. Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór confirmed that all individuals aboard the bus were Polish citizens.
The passengers were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as stated by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced on Facebook that around 10 individuals sustained severe injuries, extending his sympathies to the victims’ families and acknowledging the efforts of rescue teams who promptly responded to the scene.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki also expressed profound sadness over the tragedy, offering prayers and condolences to the affected families and loved ones.
