Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar stated on Sunday morning that a Polish bus overturned on a highway in eastern Hungary, resulting in at least 12 deaths and 10 injuries.
According to Reuters, Hungarian police reported that the bus crashed into a ditch and overturned near the town of Mezőkeresztes in eastern Hungary in the early hours of Sunday. The police added that the bus was traveling on the highway towards Nyiregyhaza at the time of the accident.
Hungary’s national news agency MTI reported that there were a total of 57 passengers and two drivers on board. Photos from the scene show a severely damaged red bus overturned, with shattered windows and scattered belongings and luggage inside.
The police stated on their website: “A Polish-registered bus was traveling towards Nyiregyhaza on the M3 highway… it veered off the straight road, crashed into a ditch, and overturned. Preliminary information indicates that the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.”
Polish President Karol Nawrocki expressed his sorrow on the social media platform X, saying, “The tragic news of the accident involving a Polish coach in Hungary deeply saddens me, and many of our compatriots have unfortunately lost their lives in this accident.”
The police confirmed that 12 people died in the accident, several were injured, and the bus driver has been detained.
The injured have been taken to the hospital.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated on X platform that a bus carrying Polish tourists was involved in a “tragic accident” in Hungary.
“Our consular services are in operation. We are in contact with the Hungarian authorities. The Foreign Ministry will provide verified information,” he said.