At least twelve people were killed and dozens more injured when a Polish tourist bus veered off a Hungarian motorway and overturned in a ditch in the early hours of Sunday. The accident occurred on the M3 highway near the village of Mezőkeresztes, roughly 140 kilometres northeast of Budapest, a stretch frequently used by international coach traffic.
The vehicle was carrying 57 passengers and two drivers, according to Hungary's national disaster agency. It was reportedly returning pilgrims from Serbia to Poland when it left the road at around 1 a.m. Eleven people were pronounced dead at the scene; a twelfth victim died later in hospital. The ambulance service said 37 people suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospitals in four cities, while five others were listed in critical condition.
Driver detained, sleep suspected
Hungary's Interior Minister Gábor Pósfai confirmed that the driver had been detained. Local media, citing police, reported that he had fallen asleep at the wheel just before the crash. The motorway was closed for several hours as emergency crews worked to free passengers and clear the wreckage.
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said a special flight carrying medical personnel and consular officials had been dispatched to Hungary to assist the injured and repatriate the victims. In a statement on social media, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the wounded a speedy recovery, while thanking rescue workers for their efforts.
The tragedy has cast a spotlight on the safety of long-distance coach travel across Europe, particularly on overnight routes. The M3 is a major artery linking Budapest with eastern Hungary and onward to Ukraine, and it sees heavy tourist and freight traffic, especially during the summer months.
This incident is the latest in a series of road accidents involving European tour groups. Earlier this year, tourist guides called for stronger safety measures as heatwaves and long drives increase risks for travellers. The European Union has been working on harmonising driver rest rules, but enforcement remains uneven across member states.
Hungarian authorities have opened an investigation into the crash, focusing on the driver's fatigue and the bus's mechanical condition. The driver, whose nationality has not been disclosed, is expected to face charges of negligent homicide.
For Poland, the loss of life is a national shock. The bus was carrying pilgrims returning from a religious site in Serbia, a journey that typically takes more than ten hours. Polish consular staff are on the ground in Hungary to provide support to the families of the victims and to coordinate the repatriation of the deceased.
As the injured recover in Hungarian hospitals, the incident has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of driving hours and better rest facilities for coach drivers across the continent. The European Commission has previously proposed updates to the rules governing professional drivers' working time, but progress has been slow.
In the meantime, the small community of Mezőkeresztes has become a focal point of mourning, with local residents laying flowers at the crash site. The highway has since reopened, but the memory of the tragedy will linger.
