Driver charged after crash kills 10 wedding guests and leaves 25 injured
A man has been charged following a fatal bus crash carrying wedding guests from a venue in Hunter Valley in Australia, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people.
Bus driver, Brett Andrew Button, 58, has been charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death as well as one count of negligent driving.
The incident is the most deadly to happen on Australian roads in more three decades, and has sent shockwaves through the country.
He was behind the wheel of the bus that rolled while carrying guests who had attended the wedding of Madeleine Edsell and Mitchell Gaffney, in Australia's wine country on 11 June.
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The coach, which was reportedly carrying around 40 guests, was involved in the horror incident at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive in the town of Greta, New South Wales.
Alongside the 10 deaths, 25 of the passengers were also injured in the crash, with 21 still in hospital and one of them in critical condition, said the state government late Monday morning local time.
Another 18 of the passengers survived the crash without physical injury.
Police Commissioner, Karen Webb, described the incident as an ‘awful situation’.
“I’m sure you can share with me in just imagining how tragic this is, for not only the first responders and all those that are responding but certainly I’m thinking of their families that are affected by this,” she said.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said: “The state woke up this morning to hear devastating news in an area that we normally associate with so much happiness and joy,” he said.
“Whatever the final toll is in this accident, it will be more than we can bear.
“The next few days and weeks may be worse than the initial shock, as it fully comes to realisation of what this community has gone through.”
Linq Buslines, the company that owned the bus, told the media in a statement: “We are incredibly saddened to learn of the bus crash that has occurred overnight
“Our hearts are with everyone involved in this terrible tragedy and we send our deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones.
“We would like to thank the first responders to the scene, the emergency personnel and those who are continuing to assist.
“Trauma counselling services have been made available to all staff and their families at Linq Buslines.
“We are working with NSW Police and authorities as they investigate. It would be inappropriate for us to comment further while the investigation is underway.”
Claire Reid