Bus carrying wedding guests in Australian wine region rolls over, killing 10 and injuring 25
Canberra (AP): A bus carrying wedding guests rolled over on a foggy night in Australia's wine country, killing 10 people and injuring 25, police said Monday.
The 58-year-old driver was arrested and being held at a Cessnock police station and will be charged, Police Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman said. She would not detail the allegations, including whether speed was a factor, but told reporters "there is sufficient information ... for us to establish that there will be charges."
The crash happened just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday in foggy conditions at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive in the town of Greta in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales state north of Sydney.
The guests had earlier attended a wedding at the Wandin Estate Winery and were heading for their accommodation in the town of Singleton, Chapman said. One guest told Seven News it had been a nice day and a fairytale wedding.
A motorist who drove past the crash scene, identified by Australian Broadcasting Corp. only as Alison, said the fog was so heavy she could not make out the colors of the flashing lights of police cars, ambulances and fire trucks.
"The fog was terrible," she told the ABC. "It was super foggy. You could barely see in front of you."
Of the 25 people injured, 21 remained in hospitals late Monday morning and one was in critical condition, the state government said. The conditions of the others were described as stable. Another 18 passengers were uninjured.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thanked first responders and offered government support to victims and their families, saying the "mental scars of this will not go away."
"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," Albanese told reporters.
"People hire a bus for weddings in order to keep their guests safe. And that just adds to the unimaginable nature of this tragedy," Albanese added.
Jay Suvaal, the mayor of Cessnock, said the crash was "truly horrific."
"We are a major wedding and tourist destination in the Hunter Valley, and so there will be people from all over the state and the country that have been to these areas and have probably done similar things," he said. "I think it will send shock waves right through the broader community."
Greta is in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine region, a picturesque area dotted with vineyards and restaurants. It was the first wine region established in Australia.
The wedding was in the middle of a long weekend, with Monday a public holiday across most Australian states.
At least 10 people were killed and 25 injured after a bus rolled off a ramp in #Australia's Hunter wine region in north of Sydney. Police on Monday said the accident occurred late Sunday, as the bus ferried guests from a wedding at a local winery. pic.twitter.com/9YSZnHyo9N
— CGTN Global Watch (@GlobalWatchCGTN) June 12, 2023
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
