A tragic incident occurred in Hungary early Sunday as a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the road and overturned into a ditch, resulting in the death of 12 individuals and injuries to several others. The bus, en route on the eastbound lanes near Mezokeresztes, lost control on the M3 motorway, approximately 140 kilometers east of Budapest around 1 a.m.
Authorities mentioned that the bus driver, suspected of falling asleep while driving, has been detained for further investigation. The National Directorate for Disaster Management of Hungary reported that among the 57 passengers and two drivers on board, multiple individuals were trapped underneath the bus post the overturning.
According to the Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór, all occupants of the bus held Polish citizenship. The passengers were residents of the southeastern Podkarpackie region, returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as indicated by the regional government of Rzeszow, Poland.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar conveyed in a Facebook statement that around 10 individuals sustained severe injuries in the accident. He extended condolences to the victims’ families and praised the efforts of the rescue teams that promptly responded to the scene. Polish President Karol Nawrocki also expressed profound sadness over the incident, offering prayers and sympathy to the affected families and friends of the victims.