Riyaz ul Khaliq
12 June 2023•Update: 12 June 2023
ISTANBUL
Australian police have charged with murder the driver of a bus involved in a fatal accident that left 10 people dead.
According to New South Wales police, the incident happened in the state’s Hunter region.
Police said the 58-year-old driver was treated at a hospital and is in custody at Cessnock Police Station.
The driver was “charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death - drive manner dangerous, and one count of negligent driving (occasioning death),” the police said.
Police said 10 people were killed while 25 others were injured. The passengers were guests of a wedding party.
“To the loved ones of those we've lost in such horrific circumstances: Australia wraps its arms around you and all of our hopes and prayers are with you on this tragic day,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted.
The bus driver’s license was also suspended.
The Maitland man was refused bail to appear at Cessnock Local Court on Tuesday.
Albanese said: “People hire a bus for weddings in order to keep their guests safe. And that just adds to the unimaginable nature of this tragedy.”
Police said emergency services reached the accident scene when they received emergency calls around midnight to the roundabout on Wine Country Drive near the Hunter Expressway.
The call was made after the passenger coach skidded off the road.
