It should be the most beautiful day in the life of a young couple. They celebrated their wedding. But on the way back, the bus crashed with 36 guests on board.
Sydney/Munich – A wedding in Australia’s Hunter Valley came to a tragic end. A devastating accident happened. At least ten people are dead and another 25 are injured, some seriously.
Wedding bus crashes into guardrail – police arrest driver
According to police reports, the accident occurred late Sunday evening (local time) near the town of Greta (state of New South Wales). When exiting a roundabout, the bus suddenly fell sideways onto a crash barrier. The bus driver, who was only slightly injured, was arrested and questioned by the authorities. On Monday he was charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving resulting in death. He was due to appear in court on Tuesday.
Just a few hours earlier, the newly married couple had celebrated with their guests at the Wandin Estate winery. On social networks, guests posted several photos of the happy couple at their party. The Hunter Valley north of Sydney is one of Australia’s best-known wine regions and is a popular location for celebrations and weddings.
The bus was on its way from the winery to the small town of Singleton. It is not yet clear why he left the road and fell. Investigators and forensic scientists examined the scene of the accident in detail. Tests have shown that the 58-year-old driver was not drunk, media spokeswoman Tracy Chapman quoted.
The bus had a total of 57 seats that were equipped with seat belts. According to Chapman, it is initially unclear whether the victims were wearing seat belts. Many of the injured were initially unresponsive and could not be questioned. In the afternoon, it was finally possible to bring the bus from its side and rescue the victims who were trapped underneath.
‘Cruel, sad and so unfair’: Terrible wedding tragedy mourns Australia
“It is cruel, sad and so unfair that such a joyful day in a beautiful place should end with such terrible loss of life and injury,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters. “People rent a bus for weddings precisely to ensure the safety of their guests – that makes this tragedy even more unimaginable.” All of Australia is praying for those affected. It will take the community months to process the tragedy, said Sue Moore, the mayor of Singleton.
The bus company spoke of a “terrible tragedy” and expressed its deepest sympathy to all those affected. The company is working closely with the police on the investigation. “This was a most terrifying event in the history of New South Wales,” said State Premier Chris Minn. “Today is a good day to hug someone you love and remember how precious life is.”
Meanwhile, several acts of violence took place in Nottingham, UK. A 31-year-old was arrested. Three people died. A person is in mortal danger. (mbr with dpa)
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