A tragic incident occurred early Sunday in Hungary as a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the road and overturned in a ditch, resulting in the death of 12 individuals and injuries to several others. The accident took place on the eastbound lanes near Mezokeresztes on the M3 motorway, approximately 140 kilometers east of Budapest around 1 a.m.
Authorities indicated that the bus driver, suspected of falling asleep at the wheel, has been apprehended. The Hungary National Directorate for Disaster Management revealed that the bus, with 57 passengers and two drivers onboard, overturned, trapping multiple passengers underneath the vehicle.
According to the Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór, all individuals aboard the bus held Polish citizenship. The passengers were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as stated by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, in a statement on Facebook, mentioned that a minimum of 10 people sustained severe injuries in the accident. He conveyed condolences to the victims’ families and commended the efforts of the rescue teams deployed to the site. Polish President Karol Nawrocki also expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, extending prayers and sympathy to the families and loved ones of the victims.