Overview
- A Polish-registered coach veered off the eastbound M3 near Mezőkeresztes and overturned, killing 12 people and leaving dozens injured after the crash that occurred at about 1 a.m. on Sunday.
- Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management said 57 passengers and two drivers were on board and Polish officials confirmed all on the bus were Polish citizens from the Podkarpackie region returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Rescuers used cranes and on-site extraction to free people trapped beneath the overturned vehicle and moved the injured to hospitals in several cities, with some patients reported in serious condition.
- Hungarian police have detained the driver and said preliminary information points to fatigue as the likely cause; a criminal probe is under way and official counts and findings remain subject to change.
- The crash is one of Hungary’s deadliest recent road accidents, has prompted high-level condolences and consular support from Poland, and could lead to renewed scrutiny of long-distance coach safety and oversight.