A tragic incident occurred in Hungary early Sunday as a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the road and flipped over into a ditch, resulting in 12 fatalities and numerous injuries. The accident took place on the M3 motorway, east of Budapest, near Mezokeresztes, when the bus, transporting 57 passengers and two drivers, overturned around 1 a.m.
Authorities indicated that the bus driver, suspected of falling asleep at the wheel, has been detained for questioning. Following the crash, several passengers were stuck under the overturned vehicle, as reported by Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management. Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór confirmed that all individuals on board held Polish citizenship.
The passengers, hailing from the southeastern Podkarpackie region, were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as announced by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated on social media that around 10 individuals sustained severe injuries in the incident. He expressed condolences to the victims’ families and commended the swift response of rescue teams deployed to the scene.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki extended heartfelt sympathies, expressing profound sadness over the tragedy and offering prayers and support to the affected families and friends.