Pilgrims’ Bus Crashes in Hungary

Twelve people were killed and at least 10 others seriously injured when a Polish-registered bus carrying pilgrims crashed in eastern Hungary. The tragedy occurred on the morning of August 16 on the M3 motorway near the town of Mezőkeresztes.

The bus reportedly carried 57 passengers and two drivers. They were returning to Poland from the famous Medjugorje pilgrimage site in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At around 1:00 a.m., the bus left the road, fell into a roadside ditch, and overturned onto its side.

When rescuers arrived at the scene, they found that some passengers were trapped inside the overturned bus, including beneath the seats. The injured were taken to hospitals in Miskolc, Debrecen, Eger, and several other nearby cities. According to official data, 37 people suffered minor injuries.

The initial suspected cause of the crash is that the driver fell asleep at the wheel. He survived and was detained by police. Law enforcement authorities are investigating the exact circumstances of the incident.

One of the passengers who survived the crash, Helena Tluček, described the scene of the tragedy as horrific. Despite being injured, she tried to free two people trapped beneath the wreckage and help her sister.

The tragedy deeply saddened officials in Poland and Hungary. Polish President Karol Nawrocki expressed condolences to the families of the victims. The Polish government said it would take special measures to return the surviving citizens to their homeland.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing. It has been officially confirmed that all the victims were Polish citizens.