Published: Aug 16, 2026, 18:31 IST | Updated: Aug 16, 2026, 18:31 IST
A devastating road accident in eastern Hungary has claimed the lives of 12 people and left dozens injured after a Polish-registered tourist bus overturned near the town of Mezőtér? on the M3 motorway.
The bus was carrying 57 passengers and two drivers, with all the passengers reportedly Polish tourists returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The vehicle was travelling toward the northeastern part of Hungary when it reportedly veered off the motorway, crashed into a ditch and overturned.
Some passengers were trapped beneath the approximately 24-tonne bus, prompting firefighters and rescue teams to use cranes to lift the vehicle and free those trapped inside.
Hungarian police said the surviving driver was taken into custody and that investigators are examining whether fatigue or the driver falling asleep may have contributed to the crash. The exact cause remains under investigation.
The injured passengers were transported to hospitals for treatment. Authorities from both Hungary and Poland have expressed condolences to the victims' families and support for those injured.