The newlyweds whose wedding ended in a tragic bus crash that left 10 people dead in Australia have spoken out for the first time since the horrific accident.
Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell issued their first statement in the wake of the worst road crash in Australia in three decades, which occurred as their guests left their Hunter Valley wedding.
The newlyweds thanked their community and the world for the 'outpouring of love and support' after the horror crash that killed 10 of their wedding guests and left a further 25 injured.
"While we appreciate the outpouring of love and support from the community, we ask that the media respect our privacy while we grieve," the couple said in a statement, as per news.com.au.
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"Our primary focus at this time is processing this tragedy, and supporting our family and friends, which is why we’d like to formally decline any requests for media interviews."
The groom's parents also spoke out after the tragedy, urging for people to wear seatbelts on buses in twin social media posts.
"It was a glorious occasion until news of the bus crash with ten people losing their lives came within a few hours that has shattered many lives," the groom's father, John Gaffney, posted on LinkedIn.
"Hopefully something positive can come out of this tragedy.
"Fifty years ago the fitting and wearing of seat belts became compulsory in Australia for all occupants of motor cars saving countless lives since.
"Whilst my wife and I can’t do this on our own we believe ultimately everyone who rides a bus should have access to a seatbelt and be compelled by laws to wear them."
The groom's mother, Carolyn Gaffney, also called for seatbelts to be provided on all busses in a post to Facebook.
"So that something ‘good’ can come out of this our family would appreciate if the community would lobby the state and federal governments to ensure that seatbelts are provided in all buses and the wearing of them made compulsory," she wrote.
Tragedy struck shortly after Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell said 'I do' on June 12 when a bus ferrying their guests from their wedding venue to their accomodation crashed.
The accident killed 10 people and a further 25 were injured when a bus crashed in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.
Bus driver Brett Andrew Button has since been charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death - drive manner dangerous, and one count of negligent driving (occasioning death).
Rachel Lang