A tragic incident occurred in Hungary early Sunday as a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the road, overturned into a ditch, resulting in 12 fatalities and several injuries. The accident took place on the eastbound lanes near Mezokeresztes, about 140 kilometers east of Budapest, along the M3 motorway around 1 a.m. The police indicated that the bus driver, who is suspected to have fallen asleep, has been apprehended.
According to Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management, the bus had 57 passengers and two drivers on board, with some passengers becoming trapped under the overturned vehicle. The Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maciej Wewiór, confirmed that all individuals on the bus held Polish citizenship.
The passengers, hailing from the southeastern Podkarpackie region, were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina as stated by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar mentioned in a Facebook post that at least 10 individuals sustained serious injuries in the accident. He extended his condolences to the victims’ families and appreciated the efforts of the rescue teams deployed to the site.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki also expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, offering prayers and sympathy to the families and loved ones of the victims. The incident has drawn attention and concern, echoing recent maritime disasters like the overloaded ferry capsizing in Zimbabwe and the Indonesian ferry fire that claimed lives and left numerous individuals missing.