Two men fighting for life, three dead after horror bus crash
Two men are fighting for life and three women were killed in a horror collision between a bus and a caravan on a major Queensland highway on Sunday.
Emergency services were called to the Bruce Hwy near Gumlu, in Queensland’s Whitsundays region, just after 11am on Sunday following reports of a serious collision between two vehicles.
Police confirmed 33 people were on-board the Greyhound bus as it travelled north towards Townsville when it was involved in the deadly collision.
Three people were killed in a horrific crash between a bus and a car towing a caravan on the Bruce Highway near Gumlu, in Queensland’s Whitsundays region. Supplied Credit: Supplied
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Patients were flown to and from Ayr Hospital via rescue helicopters. NewsWire / Scott Radford-Chisholm Credit: News Corp Australia
As of Monday morning, two men, aged 23 and 24, remain in a critical condition, with two other men in stable conditions. Three patients were discharged from hospital on Sunday evening.
Police have confirmed three women died at the scene, including a women in her thirties, a woman in her twenties and a 56-year-old Townsville woman.
At the time of the crash, paramedics assessed 27 people at the scene, seven of which suffered life-threatening injuries following the crash on the state’s busiest road.
Police Superintendent Graeme Paine described the scene as “very challenging” and “very complex” after the impact pushed the bus across nearby train lines.
This is an extremely confronting incident, effectively, a mass casualty event,” he told the Today Show on Monday morning.
“When an incident like this occurs on an open road, being a highway, very significant impact, (it’s) very confronting for the first responders.
The highway was closed in both directions following the major collision near Gumlu. Credit: Supplied
Lengthy delays occurred following the crash. NewsWire / Scott Radford-Chisholm Credit: News Corp Australia
“I’d also like to acknowledge not just the work of the first responders, but also the community members on scene where the incident occurred. It takes a little while longer for emergency services to arrive, so those people that were on scene and some of the passengers in the bus did a lot of work providing that initial first aid.”
Mr Paine said investigations into how the tragic incident occurred remain underway as officers continue to forensically examine the scene.
The Bruce Hwy has since been reopened after significant delays amid school holiday traffic.
Greyhound Australia CEO Dan Smith said the company will continue to assist the investigation into the crash.
“We are heartbroken that three passengers aboard Greyhound Australia service GX402 travelling from Brisbane to Townsville have died after a motor vehicle accident at Gumlu in North Queensland today,” Mr Smith said in a statement on Sunday night.
Multiple patients remain in hospital. NewsWire / Scott Radford-Chisholm Credit: News Corp Australia
“This is a tragic incident and our deepest sympathies go out to those involved and their families and friends.
“We are working closely with authorities to assist them with their investigation in understanding the course of events that have led to this accident.
“We are also providing support to members of our team impacted by this tragedy.
“We will provide further updates as more information becomes available and ask that you respect the privacy of those involved at this extremely difficult time.”