Ten people have been killed in a bus accident in Australia’s Hunter region, north of Sydney. Eleven others were injured, Australian police said. According to local media, the bus contained wedding guests returning from a visit to a wine farm north of Sydney.
Police were called to an accident at an intersection near the town of Greta shortly before midnight. According to local media, the bus was returning from a wedding reception at Wandin Estate winery, a winery in the Hunter Valley, a wine-growing region. It would have been foggy at the time, but it is unclear whether weather conditions played a role in the accident.
The 58-year-old driver of the bus was taken to hospital under police escort for examination. Among other things, it will be tested whether he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. “He has been provisionally detained for driving the bus during a collision that resulted in death,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman told reporters Monday morning. “There is sufficient information at this time to determine that charges will follow.”
“Preliminary investigations indicate that ten people have died. Eleven others were transported by road and helicopter to hospital and eighteen passengers were unharmed,” the police statement said, adding that the death toll may rise.
Australian Prime Minister Albenese has expressed his condolences on Twitter to the families of the tragic accident. “For such a beautiful day to end with such a horrible loss is downright cruel,” he wrote on Twitter.
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