Hunter Valley bus crash
{{Short description|2023 Australian fatal vehicle rollover}}
{{Infobox public transit accident|name=Hunter Valley bus crash
|image=File:Hunter Valley Bus Accident.jpeg|image_size=|image_alt=|caption=Aftermath of the crash|image_map=|image_map_alt=|image_map_caption=|pushpin_map=|pushpin_map_alt=|pushpin_map_caption=|coordinates=
|date={{Start date|2023|6|11|df=y}}
|time=11:30 p.m.
|location=Greta, New South Wales
|location_dir=
|location_city=
|location_dist_km=
|location_dist_mi=
|country=Australia
|line=
|operator=Linq Buslines
|owner=
|service=Charter
|type=Rollover
|cause=High speed, driver culpability and medication impairment
|bus=Volvo B7R
|trains=
|vehicles=1
|passengers=35
|crew=1
|pedestrians=
|deaths=10
|injuries=25
|missing=
|damage=
}}
On the night of 11 June 2023 a bus overturned at Greta in Australia's Hunter Valley region. The bus was transferring guests from a wedding at Lovedale to Singleton. Ten people were killed and another twenty-five were taken to hospital. The bus driver pleaded guilty to dangerous and negligent driving occasioning death, and was sentenced to 32 years in prison with a non-parole period of 24 years. It was the worst Australian road crash since 1994 when twelve people were killed when a bus overturned near Boondall, Queensland.[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-12/fatal-hunter-valley-wedding-bus-crash-explainer/102468494 What we know about the fatal Hunter Valley wedding bus crash], ABC News, 12 June 2023[https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/disaster/land_transport/display/104172-wide-bay-tours-bus-crash- Wide Bay Tours Bus Crash], Monument Australia, 15 June 2023
Crash
At 11:30 p.m. AEST on 11 June 2023, a 2009 Volvo B7R bus operated by Linq Buslines overturned while negotiating a grade separated roundabout at the M15 / Wine Country Drive interchange near Greta. The bus was taking guests from a wedding at a winery in Lovedale to a Singleton hotel.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-12 |title=Ten killed, 21 injured after bus carrying wedding guests crashes in Australia |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/national/23582234.ten-killed-25-injured-bus-carrying-wedding-guests-crashes-australia/ |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=HeraldScotland |language=en}}
Ten passengers were killed and a further twenty-five were taken to a hospital. The injured were treated at John Hunter Hospital, Maitland Hospital and Calvary Mater in Newcastle, and one was airlifted to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Olivia Ireland, Georgina |date=2023-06-12 |title=Hunter Valley bus crash updates: Multiple people killed in wedding bus tragedy; driver arrested, expected to be charged |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hunter-valley-bus-crash-multiple-people-killed-in-wedding-bus-tragedy-20230612-p5dfr1.html |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}
Legal proceedings
The 58-year-old bus driver, Brett Button, was arrested and taken to Cessnock police station. A mandatory drug test determined that he had taken 400 mg of tramadol during the previous 24 hours, enough to impair his driving ability.{{Cite news |date=2024-09-07 |title=Hunter Valley bus crash driver to come face to face with devastated loved ones of those killed |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-08/hunter-valley-bus-crash-driver-sentence-victim-impact/104309054 |access-date=2024-09-10 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}} On 12 June he was charged with ten counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and one count of negligent driving occasioning death.{{Cite web |last=Gorrey |first=Olivia Ireland, Georgina Mitchell, Megan |date=2023-06-12 |title=Hunter Valley bus crash updates: Multiple people killed in wedding bus tragedy; driver charged |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hunter-valley-bus-crash-multiple-people-killed-in-wedding-bus-tragedy-20230612-p5dfr1.html |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} He was released on bail of $10,000.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Georgina |last2=Ireland |first2=Olivia |date=13 June 2023 |title=Hunter Valley bus crash updates: Driver Brett Button told passengers to ‘fasten your seatbelts’ moments before crash, court hears; NSW Police continue to identify victims |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hunter-valley-bus-crash-updates-nsw-police-continue-to-identify-victims-after-multiple-people-killed-driver-charged-20230612-p5dfyd.html |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} In January 2024, Button was further charged with ten counts of manslaughter.{{Cite news |date=2024-01-16 |title=Hunter Valley bus driver formally charged with 10 counts of manslaughter over wedding crash |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-17/hunter-valley-bus-crash-driver-faces-additional-charges/103325018 |access-date=2024-05-08 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}
On 8 May 2024, after the prosecution dropped the manslaughter charges, Button pleaded guilty to ten counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and other charges. He was remanded in custody for sentencing later in 2024. It was also presented in court that Button was addicted to painkillers, and these may have affected his driving performance on the day of the crash.{{Cite web |last=Duffin |first=Perry |date=2024-05-08 |title=Hunter Valley bus driver addicted to drugs |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hunter-valley-bus-driver-to-plead-guilty-after-10-killed-in-tragic-crash-20240508-p5gj8x.html |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}
On 11 September 2024, Button was sentenced to 32 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 24 years.{{Cite web |last=Duffin |first=Perry |date=2024-09-11 |title=‘Extraordinary devastation’: Hunter bus driver to spend decades in prison |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-ultimate-sin-hunter-bus-driver-breaks-down-in-court-20240911-p5k9o9.html |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}
Aftermath
The bride and groom were members of the Singleton Roosters Australian football club.{{Cite web |last=Carey |first=Alexis |date=12 June 2023 |title=Bride and groom identified after Hunter Valley wedding bus crash left 10 dead, 25 hospitalised |url=https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/bride-and-groom-identified-after-hunter-valley-wedding-bus-crash-left-10-dead-25-hospitalised/news-story/458cfd7500fb768be27ca87682242958 |website=news.com.au}} The groom was previously a member of Warrandyte Cricket Club, as were nine of the injured guests.
On 16 June 2023, the NSW Office of Transport Safety Investigations announced an investigation into the crash.{{Cite web |last=Place |first=Movement and |date=2023-06-16 |title=Rollover of coach 4666MO - Greta, NSW - 11 June 2023 |url=https://www.otsi.nsw.gov.au/investigations/current-investigations/rollover-coach-4666mo-greta-nsw-11-june-2023 |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=www.otsi.nsw.gov.au |language=en-AU}}
Other notable bus accidents in Australia
- Grafton bus crash – 20 October 1989 – 21 killed. A tourist coach and a truck collided head-on
- Kempsey bus crash – 22 December 1989 – 35 killed. Two fully-loaded buses collided head-on in the worst road crash in Australia.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Road incidents in 2023|state=expanded}}
Category:2023 disasters in Australia
Category:2023 in New South Wales
Category:Bus incidents in Australia
Category:Bus transport in New South Wales
Category:June 2023 in Australia