STORY: A deadly bus crash in a part of Australia known for wine and weddings sent shockwaves through the country late Sunday.
As of Monday morning, police said at least 10 people had been killed, with dozens more injured.
The accident took place when a chartered bus carrying wedding guests rolled off a ramp at a roundabout in the Hunter Region north of Sydney, and flipped on its side.
New South Wales Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman said police had been working on identifying everyone on board, with fears more passengers may have been trapped beneath the overturned bus.
“A 58-year-old man, the driver of the coach, was taken to hospital for mandatory testing and he is now at Cessnock Police Station and currently under arrest.”
She also said heavy fog was present at the time of the crash but a cause had not yet been determined.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offered his condolences for the victims of the tragedy on Monday.
“All of us know the joy of going to a wedding, a chance to celebrate dear friends and family. They are some of the happiest times that you can have. 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. People hire a bus for weddings in order to keep their guests safe and that just adds to the unimaginable nature of this tragedy.”
Local residents expressed shock over the accident.
It happened Sunday shortly before midnight local time, after the wedding at the Wandin Valley Estate vineyard.
On Monday, the vineyard put up a sign saying it was closed for the day out of respect for the victims of the tragedy.
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