Hungary bus crash kills 12 and leaves at least 10 seriously injured

Sunday 16 August 2026 - 08:00

By: Sahili Aya

Hungary bus crash kills 12 and leaves at least 10 seriously injured

A major road accident in Hungary has left 12 people dead and at least 10 others seriously injured after a Poland-registered coach overturned on the M3 motorway east of Budapest during the night.

The crash occurred at around 1 a.m. local time, according to Hungarian police. The bus was travelling toward Mezokeresztes when it overturned on the motorway, triggering a large emergency response.

The circumstances that caused the vehicle to leave its normal trajectory and overturn had not been fully established in the immediate aftermath of the accident.

Emergency services respond overnight

The scale of the crash prompted an extensive rescue operation, with emergency personnel working at the scene to assist those trapped or injured in the vehicle.

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar confirmed the death toll at 12 and said at least 10 people had suffered serious injuries.

In a statement shared on Facebook, Magyar expressed his condolences to the families of those who died and thanked the emergency teams involved in the rescue operation.

The authorities are expected to continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the sequence of events that led to the coach overturning.

Accident occurred east of Budapest

The incident took place on the M3, one of Hungary’s major motorway routes, in the area east of the capital. The coach was travelling toward Mezokeresztes when the accident occurred during the early hours of Sunday.

The fact that the vehicle was registered in Poland adds an international dimension to the incident, although authorities had not immediately provided further details about the identities or nationalities of those aboard.

The priority in the immediate aftermath remained the treatment of the injured and the identification of the victims.

Investigation underway

Fatal motorway crashes involving coaches can require investigators to examine several factors, including road conditions, vehicle condition, driver circumstances and the events immediately preceding the rollover.

Hungarian authorities had not, at the time of the initial reports, attributed responsibility for the accident or announced a definitive cause.

The investigation will determine how the tragedy unfolded and whether any contributing factors can be established.

For the families of the victims, however, the immediate focus is on the human cost of the overnight crash, which has become one of the country's most serious recent road accidents.