A bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the road and overturned into a ditch on the eastbound lanes near Mezokeresztes in Hungary. The accident, which occurred around 1 a.m. on the M3 motorway, resulted in the death of 12 individuals and injuries to several others.
Authorities reported that the bus driver, suspected of falling asleep at the wheel, has been detained. The National Directorate for Disaster Management stated that there were 57 passengers and two drivers on board, with some passengers trapped under the overturned bus. All individuals on the bus were confirmed to hold Polish citizenship, as confirmed by Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór.
The passengers, hailing from the southeastern Podkarpackie region, were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, according to a statement from the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar revealed that at least 10 people sustained severe injuries in the crash. He extended his condolences to the victims’ families and praised the efforts of rescue personnel at the scene. Polish President Karol Nawrocki also expressed deep sadness over the incident, offering prayers and sympathy to the affected families and loved ones.