According to local police, a “fairytale wedding” claimed ten dead and 25 injured after a bus carrying guests crashed in Australia on Monday night.
The bus transported 53 wedding guests to their hotels after the reception, reports the New York Post. The vehicle reportedly crashed into a roundabout just after 11:30 p.m
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‘Fairytale’ wedding ends with 10 dead, 25 injured and bus driver arrested
The driver, whom authorities described as a 59-year-old man, was arrested at the scene of the accident.
However, New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Tracy Chapman did not immediately provide details of the charges.
Chapman also declined to confirm whether speeding was a cause of the bus crash, coupled with reports of a foggy road.
The only thing she would confirm was that there was “sufficient information to determine that charges would be filed,” according to the Associated Press.
The guests attended the wedding at the Wandin Estate winery in New South Wales.
At least ten wedding guests have died in a bus crash in New South Wales, Australia.
More info: https://t.co/8xyWy2cBPY pic.twitter.com/rxDE3p6taV
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 12, 2023
According to authorities, the wedding bus overturned en route to the nearby town of Singleton.
The 25 injured were taken to local hospitals by helicopter and ambulance, according to the Post.
Meanwhile, another 18 passengers and wedding guests were not injured in the single-vehicle accident.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has since offered Australian support for the victims and their families. Albanese spoke about the juxtaposition of the joyful occasion coupled with “such a terrible loss of life”.
“It is so cruel and so sad and so unfair that a joyful day like this in a beautiful place ends with such horrible loss of life and injury,” Albanese said.
Driver charged after Australia’s worst bus crash in decades kills ten wedding guests https://t.co/XEzP2Z0Z3Q pic.twitter.com/dvdDHRsi4z
– Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) June 12, 2023
Albanese noted the cruel irony of the bus crash, even though they were specifically hired to protect guests from drinking and driving after the reception.
“People hire a bus for weddings to ensure the safety of their guests. And that makes this tragedy even more unimaginable,” he said.
The fatal accident happened in a populated area of Vineland, which is a popular wedding destination, the Post reports.
Meanwhile, video released after the crash shows local residents leaving flowers at the site of the fatal crash to honor the victims.
Reuters reports that it is the worst bus accident in Australia in decades.
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