A tragic incident occurred early Sunday in Hungary as a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off a highway near Mezokeresztes. The bus, traveling on the eastbound lanes of the M3 motorway east of Budapest, overturned in a ditch, resulting in 12 fatalities and multiple injuries.
Authorities indicated that the bus driver, who is now in custody, likely dozed off while behind the wheel. The bus, which had 57 passengers and two drivers on board, left several passengers trapped beneath it after the accident.
According to Maciej Wewiór, a spokesperson for the Polish Foreign Ministry, all individuals on the bus held Polish citizenship. The passengers were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as confirmed by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar mentioned in a Facebook statement that a minimum of 10 individuals sustained severe injuries in the crash. He expressed condolences to the victims’ families and appreciated the prompt response and efforts of the rescue teams at the scene.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki also expressed his deep condolences for the tragedy, extending prayers and sympathy to the affected families and friends in a message shared on social media.