On Monday, the police reported a tragic incident in which a bus transporting wedding guests overturned, resulting in the loss of 10 lives, during a nighttime collision in a wine-growing area north of Sydney. The driver of the bus now faces multiple charges, as announced by the authorities.
Late on Sunday, the white Linq Buslines coach, carrying 35 passengers who had attended a wedding at a nearby winery, toppled onto its left side, ultimately coming to a stop on the roadside pavement near entrance barriers to a major roundabout. This unfortunate event marks Australia’s most fatal road accident in the past 16 years.
Law enforcement officials have pressed 10 charges against a 58-year-old man, pertaining to dangerous or negligent driving that led to the loss of lives. The driver has been denied bail and is scheduled for a court hearing at Cessnock, located nearby, on Tuesday.
Following the accident on a foggy night near Greta, a team of twelve emergency personnel, donning high visibility yellow vests, promptly arrived at the scene to assist. They successfully transported over 20 injured individuals to hospitals. The police have provided an update on the injured, with one patient classified as “critical” and the remaining 20 reported as “stable.”
Despite a day-long operation, recovery efforts are still ongoing to retrieve bodies from the crash site. Heartbreaking wedding photos shared on social media showcased the joyful gathering of guests at the winery’s lawn just hours before the accident occurred, making this incident the deadliest recorded since 2007.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman described a “frantic scene” in the aftermath of the crash.
Emergency responders “were able to smash the front windscreen of the bus in order to pull some people, or assist some people out of the bus”, she said.
“Those that were able to, walked themselves.”
According to her statement, there were no indications of children being present, she further mentioned.
Chapman indicated that the passengers were likely en route to their lodgings following the celebrations.
She stated that it seemed no other vehicles were part of the collision.
The authorities chose not to disclose any details regarding the potential reason behind the accident.
“For a joyous day like that in a beautiful place to end with such terrible loss of life and injury is so cruel and sad, and so unfair,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in Canberra.
“People hire a bus for weddings in order to keep their guests safe, and that just adds to the unimaginable nature of this tragedy.”
Albanese sent his wishes for the recovery of those in hospital, and thanks to the emergency workers.
“I want to give our thanks to the first responders, those who arrived at this terrible scene. I cannot imagine what they were confronted with, what they had to deal with,” he said.
Specialist forensic police and a Crash Investigation Unit are currently conducting an examination of the area.
The Hunter Valley region, known for its vineyards, kangaroos, and natural bushland, attracts a significant number of tourists and group excursions.
