Twelve Dead in Hungarian Bus Crash of Polish Pilgrims
At least twelve people have died and dozens more were injured when a bus carrying Polish pilgrims overturned on the M3 motorway in eastern Hungary in the early hours of Sunday morning. The bus, carrying 57 passengers and two drivers, veered off the road near Mezőkeresztes, approximately 120 kilometers east of Budapest, according to VRT NWS.
A Tragic Homecoming
The victims were Polish pilgrims from the Podkarpacie region in southeastern Poland, returning from Medjugorje, the Marian shrine in Bosnia-Herzegovina. They were approximately 200 kilometers from their destination when the accident occurred, as reported by WP Wiadomości. Among the dead were one 17-year-old and 11 adults.
The bus, bearing Podkarpacie license plates, overturned in the early hours of Sunday at the 139-kilometer marker of the M3 motorway, on the side heading toward Nyíregyháza. Police spokesperson Janasóczki Attila of the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County Police stated that the driver left the straight road, entered the ditch, and the vehicle tipped onto its side. Authorities believe the driver, who survived and has been taken into custody, may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Rescue and Response
Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene, with firefighters rescuing 35 people from the wreckage within hours of the crash. Civil cranes were dispatched to lift the 24-ton vehicle, as several passengers remained trapped underneath. The injured were transported to hospitals in Miskolc, Eger, Debrecen, and Nyíregyháza. One person remains in life-threatening condition, nine are seriously injured, and 37 others sustained lighter injuries, according to 24.hu.
The Polish embassy in Budapest was immediately notified and established a special hotline for families of the victims. A relief bus and rescue helicopter were dispatched from Poland, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk ordered a special government plane to carry MFA representatives and medical personnel to Hungary.
National Mourning
The tragedy prompted an outpouring of condolences from leaders in both countries. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced the news on social media and expressed his sympathies. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Orbán Anita confirmed the details, stating: “A tragic Polish bus accident occurred at dawn on the M3 motorway. The bus heading toward Vásárosnamény left the road at the 139 km marker of the M3, drove into the ditch, and tipped onto its side. There were 59 people on the vehicle.”
Polish President Karol Nawrocki wrote on X: “With deep pain I received the tragic news of the accident of a Polish bus in Hungary, in which so many of our compatriots died. In the face of this unimaginable tragedy that affects us all, I join in prayer and deep sympathy with the families and loved ones of the victims,” as reported by RMF24.
Prime Minister Tusk expressed his condolences, saying: “12 people lost their lives in a tragic accident of a Polish bus in Hungary. I express my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. We thank the Hungarian services for the rescue operation.” The Prosecutor’s Office in Krosno, Poland, has launched an investigation into the accident.
A Painful Parallel
The tragedy echoes a similar disaster from 2002, when a bus carrying Polish pilgrims to Medjugorje crashed near Balatonszentgyörgy in Hungary, killing 19 people and injuring 32, as noted by 24.hu. It also recalls the 2022 accident in Croatia, where 12 Polish pilgrims returning from Medjugorje died on the A4 motorway near Zagreb, as reported by Fakt.
Medjugorje, a major Marian shrine in Bosnia-Herzegovina, remains a popular pilgrimage destination for Polish Catholics, particularly during the summer months. The frequency of these pilgrimages has drawn renewed attention to road safety for long-distance religious travel.
What’s Next
As investigations continue on both sides of the border, questions remain about the driver’s specific charges and the bus company’s response. Hungarian authorities are conducting a full technical examination of the crash site, while Polish prosecutors work to determine whether any safety regulations were violated. The injured pilgrims remain in Hungarian hospitals, with arrangements being made for their eventual transport back to Poland.
For the families of the victims and the communities of Podkarpacie, the coming days will bring the difficult process of repatriation and mourning. The tragedy serves as a somber reminder of the fragility of life on the road and the shared grief that binds neighboring nations in times of disaster.