Wedding bus crash kills at least 10 in Australia; driver charged
The 58-year-old driver of the bus was charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death, police said without disclosing the man’s name. He was taken to a hospital for testing and assessment before being transferred to a police station. They said he would appear in court on Tuesday.
Tracy Chapman, a New South Wales police superintendent, said emergency officials responded to reports of a crash around 11.30 p.m. Sunday local time and arrived to find a “confronting and very traumatic scene.”
The bus overturned near a roundabout connecting the picturesque Hunter Valley wine region to an expressway.
Investigations into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.
“We are still trying to identify all of the people on the bus,” Chapman said Monday morning. She declined to specify the ages of the passengers, but she said that no children were on board.
She said the bus passengers had attended a wedding Sunday at Wandin Estate — a popular winery and wedding venue — and were heading to Singleton, a town about 20 miles away, to stay the night.
All Australians waking up to tragic news from the Hunter send our deepest sympathies to the loved ones of those killed in this horrific bus tragedy.
For a day of joy to end in such devastating loss is cruel indeed.
Our thoughts are also with those who have been injured.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) June 11, 2023
“All of us know the joy of going to a wedding, a chance to celebrate dear friends and family. They are some of the happiest times that you can have,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a news conference on Monday. “For a joyous day like that in a beautiful place to end with such terrible loss of life and injury is so cruel and so sad and so unfair.”
He promised to provide support to the victims and their families.
Keith Wolahan, a lawmaker from Victoria state, said in a tweet that the bride and groom grew up in Warrandyte, on the outskirts of Melbourne, and played for the local cricket, soccer and netball clubs. It was unclear whether they were on the bus.
On its website, the winery promises an “unrivaled” experience with the “perfect blend of Hunter beauty, fragrant settings, seasonal local cuisine, the finest wines.”
The winery didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement posted on Instagram, Wandin Estate said it was “deeply saddened to hear of the bus crash overnight that has claimed the lives of some of our guests.” It offered its “heartfelt condolences” to the family and friends of the victims.
Clayton Barr, a local lawmaker, described the road where the crash occurred as “well-lit” with a good road surface and a low speed limit.
“It’s just a reminder of how fragile our lives are when we’re out on the road really,” he told Australia’s Nine television network.
