Twenty nine people were taken to a hospital after a coach carrying pilgrims crashed on road number 53 in the Warmian-Masurian voivodeship. According to the police, a 32-year driver of passenger mazda was overtaking a jeep in a prohibited section. In that moment, the coach appeared on the oncoming lane and its driver took a quickly turned onto the hard shoulder, causing the bus to tip over on the side.
The accident took place before 1pm the national road number 53 nearby the village of Klewki.
"A 32-year-old man driving a passenger mazda made a dangerous attempt to overtake another car in a prohibited section of the road. The man began to overtake a jeep pulling a trailer. Suddenly, he saw a coach coming from the opposite direction," said Aspirant Rafał Prokopczyk from the Metropolitan Police in Olsztyn.
He added that the coach and the jeep escaped to the hard shoulder, where both vehicles tipped over.
"The man who caused the accident stopped only after more than a 100 metres from the scene," Prokopczyk explained.
29 people in hospital
The police officer informed that 41 pilgrims and the driver were travelling in the coach. They were going from Białystok to Gietrzwałd.
The 32-year-old was travelling with a passenger and a 7-year-old child. Ambulances and Medical Air Rescue helicopter arrived at the scene.
"After the accident, in total, 29 people were taken to a hospital," said the policeman.
Drivers of all three vehicles were sober.
For a few hours, road number 53 was blocked and drivers were being directed to a detour through Butryny.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: KMP Olsztyn