Hungarian bus crash in Slovakia: one dead, 59 injured – UPDATE

One person was killed and 59 injured after a Hungarian bus collided with a lorry on the D2 motorway in Slovakia, the Újszó news portal wrote.

The accident happened at a rest stop in Závod. According to Katarína Krizanová, spokeswoman of the Fire and Disaster Brigade (HaZZ), more than 30 firefighters are working at the scene, the Slovak news portal Bumm.sk reported.

According to the portal, the newly appointed Slovak Health Minister Michal Palkovič assured that all the victims of the Hungarian bus accident on the D2 motorway in Slovakia will receive immediate and quality medical care.

Commenting on the accident, Michal Palkovič said that the Slovak National Ambulance Service (OS ZZS) Operational Centre and the hospitals reassured that all the injured would receive prompt and adequate medical care. “We are doing everything we can to save their lives. I’m extremely saddened by the news and offer my condolences to the deceased person’s relatives,” said Michal Palkovic.

As a result of the collision, half of the bus was wedged in the truck.

According to information from the Slovak portal Ma7, 28 firefighters from Malacky and Bratislava are assisting at the scene, providing first aid to the injured and freeing the stranded passengers from the crashed bus.

A video of the accident was also posted on social media. The footage, shared on Juraj Hajdin TV JOJ’s Facebook page, also shows that an ambulance helicopter arrived on the scene.

The drivers were tested for DUI at the scene but the results were negative.

Tamás Menczer, state secretary for bilateral relations of the Ministry of foreign affairs and trade, noted the news of the accident on his official Facebook page on Monday afternoon, adding that rescue efforts were under way and colleagues from the Hungarian Foreign Ministry were at the scene.

As we wrote today, Slovakia now has a new Hungarian Prime Minister. Details HERE.

UPDATE

Based on current information, one person died, 13 were seriously injured, 8 were moderately hurt, and 37 sustained light injuries. Slovak ambulance units transferred the injured to 4-5 hospitals.

Menczer said Hungarian diplomatic staff from the Bratislava embassy were at the scene of the accident.

The ministry asked relatives to turn to the website of the Hungarian consular service for inquiries concerning the injured where the telephone number of a dedicated call centre has been posted.

President of the Republic Katalin Novák on Facebook expressed her condolences to the victims and their families, and also thanked the Slovak authorities for their assistance in the rescue operation.

Ten of the injured have been taken to Bratislava University Hospital, and the condition of eight is critical. The rest of the injured are being treated in other hospitals in Bratislava, Malacky, Trnava and Skalica.

The lightly injured will soon be able to leave for Hungary, with a special flight having been arranged to take them home, according to M1.