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| Hunter Valley: driver arrested after wedding bus crash near Greta, NSW, kills 10 people in Australia | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Police say 25 others were taken to hospital by helicopter and road after the coach rolled on Wine Country Drive just after 11.30pm on Sunday | Police say 25 others were taken to hospital by helicopter and road after the coach rolled on Wine Country Drive just after 11.30pm on Sunday |
| Ten people returning from a “fairytale” wedding Australia’s Hunter Valley wine region in New South Wales have been killed in a devastating bus crash. Twenty-five others have been taken to hospital with various injuries after the bus overturned late on Sunday night. | Ten people returning from a “fairytale” wedding Australia’s Hunter Valley wine region in New South Wales have been killed in a devastating bus crash. Twenty-five others have been taken to hospital with various injuries after the bus overturned late on Sunday night. |
| A crime scene was declared on Monday. The 58-year-old driver has been arrested and charges are pending. | A crime scene was declared on Monday. The 58-year-old driver has been arrested and charges are pending. |
| NSW police are working to identify the families of the wedding guests. Acting police commissioner Tracy Chapman said it was possible there were people still trapped at the scene. It was “a confronting and very traumatic scene” for first responders, she said. | NSW police are working to identify the families of the wedding guests. Acting police commissioner Tracy Chapman said it was possible there were people still trapped at the scene. It was “a confronting and very traumatic scene” for first responders, she said. |
| “There are 10 people confirmed deceased and a further 25 people have been transported to hospital and at this stage, they have varying injuries,” she said. | “There are 10 people confirmed deceased and a further 25 people have been transported to hospital and at this stage, they have varying injuries,” she said. |
| “They had been at a wedding together. It’s my understanding they were travelling together to Singleton, presumably for their accommodation. | “They had been at a wedding together. It’s my understanding they were travelling together to Singleton, presumably for their accommodation. |
| “It’s a tragic set of circumstances. The number of family members, [and the] broader community, who will be impacted by this, you couldn’t count.” | “It’s a tragic set of circumstances. The number of family members, [and the] broader community, who will be impacted by this, you couldn’t count.” |
| Chapman said the police role was to “undertake a full and thorough investigation to ensure that some comfort may be given to those family members and the public at the conclusion of that investigation and that process”. | Chapman said the police role was to “undertake a full and thorough investigation to ensure that some comfort may be given to those family members and the public at the conclusion of that investigation and that process”. |
| “[The bus driver is] under arrest. He’s been the driver of a motor vehicle collision where there have been fatal injuries and there will be charges pending,” she said. | “[The bus driver is] under arrest. He’s been the driver of a motor vehicle collision where there have been fatal injuries and there will be charges pending,” she said. |
| Chapman said as far as police knew, no children were involved. | Chapman said as far as police knew, no children were involved. |
| Police were called to Wine Country Drive near Greta just after 11.30pm after reports that a coach had rolled. Several media outlets reported that guests had been at the Wandin Estate Winery in Lovedale before the crash. | Police were called to Wine Country Drive near Greta just after 11.30pm after reports that a coach had rolled. Several media outlets reported that guests had been at the Wandin Estate Winery in Lovedale before the crash. |
| “It was a nice day, pretty good wedding, fairytale stuff, then … we got the news there had been a crash and we all started panicking,” a man who said he had been at the wedding told the Seven Network. | “It was a nice day, pretty good wedding, fairytale stuff, then … we got the news there had been a crash and we all started panicking,” a man who said he had been at the wedding told the Seven Network. |
| Police initially said 10 people had died, 11 were taken to hospital via helicopter and road and 18 passengers were uninjured. | Police initially said 10 people had died, 11 were taken to hospital via helicopter and road and 18 passengers were uninjured. |
| Emergency services remain at the scene of a fatal bus crash, where multiple people have died, and more than 10 others were injured in the state’s Hunter region overnight.More info: https://t.co/5APo6ACuVR | Emergency services remain at the scene of a fatal bus crash, where multiple people have died, and more than 10 others were injured in the state’s Hunter region overnight.More info: https://t.co/5APo6ACuVR |
| Emergency services were still on the scene early on Monday. The driver of the bus was taken to hospital for mandatory testing and assessment, police said. | Emergency services were still on the scene early on Monday. The driver of the bus was taken to hospital for mandatory testing and assessment, police said. |
| NSW police said in a statement there was a “large-scale emergency response involving officers from Hunter Valley police district, Police Rescue, traffic and highway patrol, NSW ambulance paramedics, NSW Fire and Rescue, NSW Rural Fire Service, and various helicopters for hospital transports”. | NSW police said in a statement there was a “large-scale emergency response involving officers from Hunter Valley police district, Police Rescue, traffic and highway patrol, NSW ambulance paramedics, NSW Fire and Rescue, NSW Rural Fire Service, and various helicopters for hospital transports”. |
| “A crime scene has been established, which will be examined by specialist forensic police and the Crash Investigation Unit,” the statement said. | “A crime scene has been established, which will be examined by specialist forensic police and the Crash Investigation Unit,” the statement said. |
| “An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash has commenced.” | “An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash has commenced.” |
| The ABC said visibility in the area was bad due to fog. | The ABC said visibility in the area was bad due to fog. |
| The mayor of Cessnock city council, Jay Suvaal, said the crash had happened at a roundabout ramp and passed on his sympathies to the families of those involved. | The mayor of Cessnock city council, Jay Suvaal, said the crash had happened at a roundabout ramp and passed on his sympathies to the families of those involved. |
| “It does appear that it was a wedding chartered bus, coming from a wedding earlier that day,” he told the ABC. | “It does appear that it was a wedding chartered bus, coming from a wedding earlier that day,” he told the ABC. |
| “We’re a major tourist destination, so I’m sure there are many people across the country that have done similar things. I’m sure they’ll send their love and well-wishes to those involved.” | “We’re a major tourist destination, so I’m sure there are many people across the country that have done similar things. I’m sure they’ll send their love and well-wishes to those involved.” |
| He said there was “a lot of fog around” but that the investigation into the crash’s cause was ongoing. | He said there was “a lot of fog around” but that the investigation into the crash’s cause was ongoing. |
| Paula Sinclair of NSW Ambulance told the network police were working to notify families of the wedding guests. | Paula Sinclair of NSW Ambulance told the network police were working to notify families of the wedding guests. |
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| She said her thoughts went out to the affected families. She said her paramedics did a “fantastic job under the circumstances”. | She said her thoughts went out to the affected families. She said her paramedics did a “fantastic job under the circumstances”. |
| “Whilst they are paramedics every day of their lives, something like this is not a job they go to every day,” she said. | “Whilst they are paramedics every day of their lives, something like this is not a job they go to every day,” she said. |
| “I’m incredibly proud of all the paramedics that attended, they did a fantastic job under the circumstances. No doubt they’ll be reflecting and we’ll make sure we have the right supports for them available as well.” | “I’m incredibly proud of all the paramedics that attended, they did a fantastic job under the circumstances. No doubt they’ll be reflecting and we’ll make sure we have the right supports for them available as well.” |
| Anthony Albanese said on Twitter all Australians would send their deepest sympathy to the relatives of those involved, and thanked first responders for their work. | Anthony Albanese said on Twitter all Australians would send their deepest sympathy to the relatives of those involved, and thanked first responders for their work. |
| “For a day of joy to end in such devastating loss is cruel indeed,” the prime minister said. | “For a day of joy to end in such devastating loss is cruel indeed,” the prime minister said. |
| 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. For a day of joy to end in such devastating loss is cruel indeed. Our thoughts are also with those who have been injured. | 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. For a day of joy to end in such devastating loss is cruel indeed. Our thoughts are also with those who have been injured. |
| The federal MP for Hunter, Dan Repacholi, said the crash was “absolutely devastating”. | The federal MP for Hunter, Dan Repacholi, said the crash was “absolutely devastating”. |
| “My heart really goes out to the families involved,” he said. | “My heart really goes out to the families involved,” he said. |
| Suvaal said he had first seen reports of emergency services in the area in the middle of the night. It must have been “truly tragic” for the first responders, he said. | Suvaal said he had first seen reports of emergency services in the area in the middle of the night. It must have been “truly tragic” for the first responders, he said. |
| “[It happened] just off the Hunter Expressway [that goes] into the towns of Greta and Branxton. It’s a small community … the community there will be waking up to the shock of it all today.” | “[It happened] just off the Hunter Expressway [that goes] into the towns of Greta and Branxton. It’s a small community … the community there will be waking up to the shock of it all today.” |
| Suvaal said road diversions would remain in place while crash investigations were under way. | Suvaal said road diversions would remain in place while crash investigations were under way. |
| “There have been multiple helicopters attending and paramedics on site a well as a huge emergency response from police and traffic control making sure they could do what they could for the people involved,” he said. | “There have been multiple helicopters attending and paramedics on site a well as a huge emergency response from police and traffic control making sure they could do what they could for the people involved,” he said. |
| Chapman said as they worked to identify all the people on the bus, friends or family of anyone who may have been on it should contact Cessnock police station. | Chapman said as they worked to identify all the people on the bus, friends or family of anyone who may have been on it should contact Cessnock police station. |
| “If there are people with information in relation to the accident, they should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000,” she said. | “If there are people with information in relation to the accident, they should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000,” she said. |
| “I urge people with information to contact Crime Stoppers rather than Cessnock police station in order to leave those lines open for friends and family.” | “I urge people with information to contact Crime Stoppers rather than Cessnock police station in order to leave those lines open for friends and family.” |
| – with Australian Associated Press | – with Australian Associated Press |