A tragic incident unfolded in Hungary as a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists veered off the road and overturned in a ditch, resulting in the loss of 12 lives and multiple injuries. The bus, en route on the eastbound lanes near Mezokeresztes, flipped over along the M3 motorway, approximately 140 kilometers east of Budapest, around 1 a.m. Authorities indicated that the bus driver, suspected of falling asleep at the wheel, has been detained.
According to Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management, the bus was transporting 57 passengers and two drivers, with several individuals becoming trapped under the vehicle post-accident. Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór confirmed that all passengers on the bus held Polish citizenship.
The passengers, hailing from the southeastern Podkarpackie region, were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as communicated by the regional government in Rzeszow, Poland. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar reported at least 10 severe injuries and extended condolences to bereaved families while acknowledging the efforts of rescue personnel. Polish President Karol Nawrocki expressed profound sadness over the tragedy, offering prayers and sympathy to the victims’ families and friends.