Polish bus crash on Hungarian highway kills 12

A bus registered in Poland crashed on Hungary's M3 highway near Mezokeresztes, about 140 kilometres east of Budapest, at around 1am on Sunday. The vehicle, carrying 57 passengers and two drivers, left the road, landed in a ditch and ended up on its side, according to Hungary's national disaster management agency.

Eleven people were confirmed dead at the scene, and a twelfth victim later died in hospital. At least ten passengers suffered critical injuries, with five described by Polish diplomat Andrzej Osiak as fighting for their lives. Another 37 people with minor injuries were taken to hospitals in four different cities.

Hungarian Interior Minister Gabor Posfai said the bus driver had been detained, and media reports citing police said he had fallen asleep at the wheel. Rescue crews, including firefighters, had to pull some passengers out through the windows after they became trapped beneath the crushed roof. Two cranes were later used to lift the bus out of the ditch. The highway remained closed for several hours during the operation.

The bus was returning pilgrims from Serbia to Poland. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had ordered a special flight to bring home passengers well enough to travel, and pledged medical and consular support for those affected. Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski described the crash as a tragic accident involving Polish tourists and said consular services were coordinating with Hungarian authorities.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar offered condolences to victims' families and thanked those involved in the rescue effort. The crash is the deadliest road accident in Hungary since 2003, when a train struck a German tourist bus in Siofok, killing 33 people. In 2002, a bus carrying Polish pilgrims crashed near Balatonszentgyorgy, killing 19.