12 Die After Polish Bus Veers Off Hungarian Motorway

Sun Sep 06 2026 12:40:01 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A tourist bus carrying Polish pilgrims plunged off Hungary's M3 motorway, killing 12 and injuring dozens.

At around 01:00 local time on 16 August 2026, a 24‑tonne bus carrying Polish pilgrims left the M3 motorway and overturned into a ditch. Dr. fallen asleep at the wheel. Twelve passengers died, and 35 of the 57 people aboard were rescued. Hungarian emergency services, backed by Polish officials, are attending to the injured and the driver has been taken into custody.

12 Die After Polish Bus Veers Off Hungarian Motorway

A 24‑tonne bus carrying 57 passengers, mainly Polish pilgrims, left Hungary’s M3 motorway near Budapest at approximately 01:00 local time on Sunday 16 August 2026 and overturned into a ditch beside the road. The accident is believed to have been caused by the driver falling asleep at the wheel.

Police have taken the driver into custody. Thirty‑five people aboard were rescued by firefighters, with two drivers also saved. Emergency crews lifted the rear axle of the bus before cranes removed the vehicle and freed stranded passengers.

Civilian casualties included 12 fatalities and numerous injuries: one person with life‑threatening wounds, nine with serious injuries, and 37 with minor injuries.

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar offered sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed the sentiment and announced that a special Polish aircraft had been dispatched with foreign ministry officials and medical teams to support the victims.

The bus had returned from Bosnia and Herzegovina and was carrying pilgrims from Poland’s southern region of Podkarpacie. Foreign Ministers from both countries confirmed that police were questioning the driver for further details on the incident.