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Featured Image Credit: 9News/Instagram
Topics: Australia, News, World News
Callum Jones
The first victims of the tragic Australian bus crash that killed ten people have been identified.
On Sunday (12 June), ten people died and a further 25 were injured after a bus driving wedding guests back to their accommodation crashed in Australia’s wine country.
The tragedy took place just hours after Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell tied the knot at the Wandin Estate Winery in Lovedale, Hunter Valley - an event that was described as a 'fairy-tale wedding' by one guest to 7News.
The incident occurred during foggy conditions at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive in the town of Greta, New South Wales, police said in a statement.
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A motorist who drove past the crash scene, identified by ABC only as Alison, said the fog was so heavy she could not make out the colours of the flashing lights of police cars, ambulances and fire trucks.
Since the accident, Brett Andrew Button, the driver of the bus, has been charged with ten counts of dangerous driving in relation to each death and one count of negligent driving.
His licence has been suspended in the wake of the crash, as he was first taken to hospital under police guard for mandatory testing and assessment.
The 58-year-old has been granted bail and will appear in Cessnock Local Court on Tuesday (June 13).
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Now, local officials have confirmed the identities of some of those who lost their lives in the crash, which includes a mother and a daughter.
Nadene McBride, her daughter Kyah McBride and Kyah's boyfriend Kane Symons were the first to be identified as victims, while Andrew and Lynan Scott have also lost their lives, according to local news.
Angus Craig, Bec Mullen, Tori Cowburn, and Zachary Bray have also been confirmed to have been killed in the tragedy.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has since released a statement, describing the crash as 'cruel' and 'so so unfair'.
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"All Australians' thoughts go out to the family, friends, and loved ones of those we've lost in such horrific circumstances," he said.
Meanwhile, South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the crash was an 'awful situation' and their investigation is only just getting underway.
“I’m sure you can share with me in just imagining how tragic this is, for not only the first responders and all those that are responding but certainly I’m thinking of their families that are affected by this,” she said.
Commissioner Webb added: “You can imagine the scene that was confronting police when they attended and that some people were transported to different locations and then re-diverted, so police have the arduous task now of matching individuals from the bus to property located in the bus.
“So it is going to take time and it is probably frustrating for families, but I’m sure families want to get this right, so we need to just take our time.”