A tragic incident unfolded in Hungary early Sunday when a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the highway near Mezokeresztes and overturned in a ditch, resulting in 12 fatalities and multiple injuries. The bus, traveling on the eastbound lanes of the M3 motorway, overturned around 140 kilometers east of Budapest at approximately 1 a.m. Authorities indicated that the bus driver, suspected of falling asleep at the wheel, has been detained.
According to Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management, the bus was carrying 57 passengers and two drivers, with several individuals trapped under the vehicle following the accident. Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór confirmed that all individuals aboard the bus held Polish citizenship.
The passengers, hailing from the southeastern Podkarpackie region, were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as reported by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar acknowledged that at least 10 individuals sustained serious injuries and expressed condolences to the victims’ families while commending the swift response of rescue teams.
In a separate statement, Polish President Karol Nawrocki conveyed profound sadness over the tragedy, extending prayers and sympathy to the families and loved ones of those affected.
