A tragic incident occurred early Sunday in Hungary when a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the highway near Mezokeresztes, overturning in a ditch and resulting in the deaths of 12 individuals with several others sustaining injuries.
The fatal accident took place on the eastbound lanes of the M3 motorway, approximately 140 kilometers east of Budapest, around 1 a.m. According to authorities, the bus driver is believed to have fallen asleep at the wheel and has since been detained by the police.
Reports from Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management revealed that the bus, transporting 57 passengers and two drivers, overturned, leaving multiple passengers trapped beneath the vehicle. Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór confirmed that all occupants aboard the bus held Polish citizenship.
The passengers, hailing from the southeastern Podkarpackie region, were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as disclosed by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated in a Facebook post that at least 10 individuals sustained severe injuries, extending condolences to the victims’ families and expressing gratitude to the emergency responders deployed to the scene.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki also conveyed his profound sadness over the incident, offering prayers and heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased.