CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Ten people were killed in Australia when a bus carrying a group of about 40 returning wedding guests rolled overnight in the heart of wine country, according to police and media reports Monday.
Police said 11 more people were injured in the accident and were taken to area hospitals by helicopter and by road. A further 18 passengers were uninjured.
The driver of the bus, a 58-year-old man, was taken to an area hospital under police guard for mandatory testing and assessment, police said in a statement.
The accident happened just after 11:30 p.m. in foggy conditions at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive in the town of Greta. Police said they had established a crime scene at the site and had started an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Australia media reported the guests had earlier attended a wedding at the Wandin Estate Winery. One guest told Seven News it had been a nice day and a fairytale wedding.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted a thanks to first responders.
"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,” Albanese wrote. “For a day of joy to end in such devastating loss is cruel indeed. Our thoughts are also with those who have been injured.”
Jay Suvaal, the mayor of nearby Cessnock, said the crash was “truly horrific.”
“We are a major wedding and tourist destination in the Hunter Valley, and so there will be people from all over the state and the country that have been to these areas and have probably done similar things," he told Network Nine. “I think it will send shock waves right through the broader community.”
Greta is in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine region, a picturesque area dotted with vineyards and restaurants. It was the first wine region established in Australia.
The Associated Press
