Australia: In an unfortunate accident, at least 10 people were killed and 25 others were injured a bus carrying wedding guests rolled over on a foggy night in Australia's wine country. Police Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman said that following the incident, the 58-year-old driver has been arrested and will be charged. The incident happened just after 11.30 pm at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive in the town of Greta in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales state north of Sydney.
Guests were heading for their accommodation
After attending a wedding, all the guests were heading for their accommodation. One guest told Seven News it had been a nice day and a fairytale wedding. All the injured were taken to the hospitals by helicopter and by road.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thanked first responders and offered government support to victims and their families, saying the "mental scars of this will not go away". "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," Albanese told reporters.
"People hire a bus for weddings in order to keep their guests safe. And that just adds to the unimaginable nature of this tragedy," Albanese added.
Horrific accident
Jay Suvaal, the mayor of 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 said. "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 wedding was in the middle of a long weekend, with Monday a public holiday across most Australian states.
(with inputs from AP)
