Twelve killed as Polish bus veers off Hungarian motorway
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Polish Pilgrim Bus Plunges Into Ditch on Hungarian Motorway, Killing Twelve
Ninoda.com – A coach loaded with Polish pilgrims left the M3 motorway and rolled into a roadside ditch in Hungary’s north-east, killing twelve people and wounding dozens more in what authorities believe was caused by driver fatigue. The crash occurred near the stretch of highway linking Budapest to Nyíregyháza at roughly 01:00 local time on Sunday (23:00 GMT Saturday).
Casualties and Rescue Effort
The vehicle carried a total of 59 people — 57 passengers alongside two drivers. Hungarian state media reported that firefighters had already freed 35 passengers and both drivers from the wreckage. Because the overturned 24-tonne bus pinned several victims beneath its frame, emergency crews first worked to raise the rear axle so trapped individuals could be extracted before heavy cranes arrived to lift the entire vehicle.
Hungary’s national ambulance service classified the injuries as follows: one victim sustained life-threatening wounds, nine suffered serious harm, and a further 37 received treatment for minor injuries.
Driver Detained
Police concluded that the driver had dozed behind the wheel. He was placed in custody shortly after the incident. Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski confirmed that his Hungarian counterpart informed him questioning of the driver had already begun.
Political Reactions
“We are together in this difficult moment,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, announcing he had ordered a dedicated Polish aircraft carrying foreign ministry personnel and medical teams to Hungary.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Péter Magyar extended his “sincere condolences” to the bereaved families and expressed hope for a swift recovery among the injured.
Background of the Journey
According to Polish news agency PAP, the coach was travelling back from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its passengers were pilgrims originating in Podkarpacie, the southernmost voivodeship of Poland. Footage released after the crash showed the mangled remains of the bus lying in the ditch beside the carriageway.
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