The owner of the Polish coach company whose bus crashed on Hungary’s M3 motorway has spoken about the two drivers involved, saying both were experienced employees who had worked for the company for several years.

The company’s owner immediately travelled to Hungary

Tadeusz Dykas, owner of Firma Transportowa Michael in Jasło, confirmed that the overturned Polish-registered bus belonged to his company. He and members of his staff have travelled to Hungary following the crash, while the wreck remains secured by the Hungarian authorities as the investigation continues.

The bus was carrying Polish pilgrims returning home from Bosnia and Herzegovina when it left the motorway and overturned at around 1 AM on Sunday between Mezőkeresztes and Mezőnagymihály, near kilometre 139 of the M3.

Twelve people were killed in the tragedy. According to the information currently available, one person suffered life-threatening injuries, nine sustained serious injuries and 37 others suffered less serious injuries.

Both drivers survived the crash

Dykas told Polish news outlet money.pl that the bus was being driven by two drivers, both of whom survived the accident. One of them, however, was seriously injured. The company owner said both drivers were experienced and had been employed by Firma Transportowa Michael for several years.

The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation. Hungarian police have reportedly considered driver fatigue and the possibility that the driver fell asleep at the wheel as one potential explanation, but this has not been confirmed.

Investigators are expected to examine a number of possible causes before drawing conclusions, which include whether the driver fell asleep or became unwell, whether a technical failure occurred, how fast the bus was travelling, when the driver lost control and whether the second driver was in the driving cabin at the time.

Company sends replacement coach to Hungary

Firma Transportowa Michael immediately sent a replacement bus to Hungary to help return survivors to Poland, according to Dykas. The company owner and his colleagues are currently at the crash site, but have not been able to inspect the wreck themselves because it has been secured by Hungarian authorities as part of the investigation.

The crash has triggered a major response on both sides of the border, with Polish authorities also launching their own investigation. Waldemar Żurek, Poland’s Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General, said the Polish side would work fully with Hungarian authorities to establish exactly what happened.

Polish authorities send support to Hungary

Polish officials have been coordinating assistance for those affected by the tragedy. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke with Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar following the crash. Magyar said he had expressed his condolences to the Polish people and thanked Hungarian rescuers and doctors for their assistance.

Tusk subsequently announced that Poland would send a special aircraft to Hungary carrying Foreign Ministry and healthcare personnel, ensuring that those affected by the accident could receive the necessary medical and consular support. A crisis team was also convened in Rzeszów, the capital of Poland’s Podkarpackie Voivodeship, from where many of the pilgrims originated.

According to regional authorities, the pilgrimage had been organised by a parish in Strzyżów and included residents from several districts of the region. Decisions on transporting injured survivors back to Poland will be made according to medical advice, potentially using ambulances, coaches or air transport.

Investigation continues into cause of tragedy

Poland’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that all 56 passengers and both drivers were injured in the crash, while 12 people died. Polish officials have said that several of the injured remain in very serious condition. The Polish district prosecutor’s office with jurisdiction over the case has opened its own investigation.

Authorities in Poland say they are taking immediate steps to establish the circumstances and causes of the disaster and will co-operate fully with their Hungarian counterparts.

The Polish embassy in Budapest has also established a dedicated telephone line for relatives of people who were travelling on the bus. For now, investigators are examining multiple possible explanations for the crash. While driver fatigue has been raised as one possibility, no definitive cause has yet been established.

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