A coach carrying Ukrainian children crashed in Hungary, injuring a total of 19 people – including four seriously. The accident happened on Sunday morning at around 5.00am near the outskirts of Kungyalu.
The coach was heading towards Kunszentmárton on the 442 highway, when disaster struck. It was carrying 77 people when it veered off the road and overturned, according to local reports. Emergency services rushed to the scene to rescue the survivors and provide medical assistance to the injured.
Police, paramedics and firefighters were all present at the crash site for a number of hours, as they dealt with the fallout.
Temporary accommodation and meals have been arranged for those who escaped injury.
At the same time, Ukrainian diplomats have travelled to the scene to provide necessary support.
The section of road was closed to all vehicles until 9.00am local time, before traffic resumes on a single lane.
The cause of the accident is unknown, but an investigation into the crash has now been launched by police.
Reporting on the crash, UNITED24 Media, the media news outlet operated by the Ukrainian government, wrote on X: “A bus transporting Ukrainian children veered off the road and overturned in Hungary, reportedly under ‘unknown circumstances’.”
Officers have not ruled out mechanical failure, driver error or adverse road conditions as the reason for the accident.
Police have urged drivers to exercise increased caution in the area and to obey all traffic control signals.
Several accidents involving Ukrainian buses have occurred in recent weeks.
One person died when a bus carrying 60 Ukrainians crashed with a minivan in Romania at the end of June – with several others injured.
The minibus was parked on the roadside when the bus crashed into it on the DN2 motorway in Bacău County.
Police said that a 29-year-old Romanian woman who was in the minibus was killed in the accident.