August 8, 2022 - Two Polish bus crash passengers have been speaking to the media about the recent terrible tragedy in northern Croatia, reports Index.hr. 

The Polish people killed in the departure of the pilgrim bus on the Varaždin - Zagreb highway, who are in Croatian hospitals, are mostly stable. Those in better health have been discharged and transported to Poland. The Polish portal Fakt spoke with two women who are in a Zagreb hospital and who survived the terrible accident.

Beata Krychowiak says that the bus was driven by experienced drivers and that there were no indications that such a tragedy could happen. "It shocked me that it happened. I don't remember the moment of the accident because I was asleep. It was seconds. I didn't pass out, but I was stuck.

"It was terrible. Moans, groans, people had to be aware that they were dying"
I saw people who could not move. I waited for them to cut open the bus and take me out. I didn't know what was happening around me because I was stuck between the chairs. It seemed to me as if I had been waiting for hours, and I waited for help for about 13 minutes," the Polish woman told Fakt.

"It was terrible. Moans, groans, people must have been aware that they were dying. Some were crushed. It's terrible to see people without skin on their faces. Shock. It's impossible to describe." Beata was going to Medjugorje with her mother. She says he knows she survived the accident, but nothing more.

"As soon as I recover, I will go to Medjugorje again"
Zofia Kasprzyk says that she will return to Medjugorje one day, regardless of the terrible accident she survived. "I thank God and Our Lady. As soon as I recover, I will go to Medjugorje again. I am brave and religious. I pray every day," recounts the survivor.

Many people are wondering why the identification of accident victims is taking so long. Portal Fakt has transmitted a press release from the Polish embassy in which they explain why the whole process is taking so long.

Why is the identification of victims taking so long?
"We have a preliminary list of the victims who died in the crash of the Polish bus on the Croatian highway on Saturday. We are doing everything to complete the identification process as soon as possible," the Polish embassy in Zagreb told the Polish portal Fakt on Sunday evening. Although the accident happened on Saturday morning, the families of the victims are still waiting for official confirmation of the fate of their family members.

"None of the passengers (like none of us in general) wears a chain around their neck with a tag with our personal information on it. No one travels with documents in their pockets, either. They are usually in their luggage (bags, backpacks, etc.) and they are close to the owner. The problem is that the force at the moment the bus landed was so strong that it moved the luggage from the owner up to several meters away."

"All persons have been fingerprinted"
"The ambulance came to save people, not their luggage with documents. If someone is conscious, then they can identify themselves. But this is not the case with those who are not conscious and those who died. All victims should be compared with the documents found, which it's not always easy because of the nature of the injuries they received in the accident, but also because the documents last up to ten years, so the photos on them are no longer that fresh. All people have had their fingerprints taken," the Polish embassy said.

The Polish embassy notes that they must not rush out with information because they can make mistakes. "Assumptions are not enough when talking about someone's life or death. It is the same with people who are not conscious. We must not make a mistake." 

August 7, 2022 - The latest updates from the Polish bus crash in Croatia, from the Index.hr live feed. 

Yesterday, a serious bus accident occurred on the A4 highway in the direction of Zagreb. At least 12 people died, and at least 19 were seriously injured.

The accident occurred around 5:40 a.m. on the A4 highway in the direction of Zagreb between Jarek Bisaški and Podvorec. A bus with Polish license plates that left the Polish city of Częstochowa on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje fell off the road.

According to the data collected so far, the traffic accident occurred when the driver of the bus registered in Poland lost control of the steering wheel of the vehicle, which veered to the right, broke through the guardrail and landed outside the highway.

9 minutes ago
In KB Dubrava, all patients are stable
All patients treated at the KB Dubrava have serious injuries, but are stable. Four patients are in the intensive care unit, some are awaiting additional procedures, and two are in the departments of traumatology, orthopedics and plastic surgery, Josip Bubnjar told HRT.

An hour ago
New details about the injured in Varaždin
FOUR female patients in satisfactory health, injured on Saturday when a Polish bus ran off the A4 highway, were transported to Poland tonight, the director of Varaždin General Hospital Damir Poljak confirmed and added that they are still caring for seven injured.

2 hours ago
The tachograph of the bus was destroyed
The tachograph of the Polish bus was destroyed in an accident and after an authorized technician tried to extract data from it, nothing could be read, Jutarnji list has learned.

2 hours ago
In Varaždin, two patients are critical
Director of Varaždin General Hospital, Damir Poljak, said that of the remaining hospitalized in that hospital, four patients are in the intensive care unit, two of which are in critical condition, and one patient from the intensive care unit has been transferred to the trauma department.

"The injured expressed their satisfaction with the treatment of the emergency services and the help they received, and four patients were transferred to Poland last night," said Prefect Anđelko Stričak.

Patients born in 1956 to 1975 were accommodated in OB Varaždin.

3 hours ago
Polish bus owner: Guys, don't bother me. My life is ruined
"Elevan people died on the spot, and a twelfth died in the operating room. Dozens are in hospitals. I'm in shock, on tranquilizers. My life is ruined," says Jacek Antoszkiewicz, owner of the Megapol transport company whose bus had a serious accident in Croatia early yesterday morning.

"People, don't torture me. I'm shocked and on tranquilizers. My life has fallen apart. It's a terrible tragedy for me," he says in despair.

3 hours ago
Poland has published information about the injured: "Some lives are still in danger"
Spokesperson of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lukasz Jasina, revealed to TVN24 that after the tragic accident of the Polish bus, there are still people in Croatia whose lives are in danger.

3 hours ago
The condition of two patients in Varaždin remains serious
According to the latest information, the condition of two patients in Varaždin is still serious.

Of the 32 injured, 11 are hospitalized in Varaždin hospital. Five of them are in the intensive care unit. Some of the injured who are housed in KBC Zagreb could return to Poland as early as today. There are 19 injured in Zagreb, five in KBC Zagreb, five in KB Dubrava.

4 hours ago
Announced press conference in Varaždin
Information has arrived that the condition of two patients in the hospital in Varaždin has worsened. At the press conference at 9:30 a.m., the Prefect of Varaždin County, Anđelko Stričak, and the director of Varaždin General Hospital, Damir Poljak, will report on the latest information.

4 hours ago
Varaždin police chief: One driver was killed. It has not yet been determined who the other is
"After the investigation, it was established that the bus driver did not move on the highway for an unspecified reason, that he crossed the stop lane onto the green grass area and hit the guardrail and landed in the ditch. The investigation established that the driver was one of the deceased passengers in the traffic accidents," said Predrag Benčić, head of the Varaždin Police Department.

5 hours ago
Polish Ministry: The bus was technically correct
The Polish Ministry of Infrastructure announced that the bus that had an accident in Croatia was manufactured in 2011, registered in Poland and that it passed all the inspections required by law. The technical inspection was carried out in June of this year.

Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Łukasz Jasina said there were 42 pilgrims and two drivers on the bus, and that all the victims were Polish citizens. He said that the pilgrimage was organized by the brotherhood of Saint Joseph.

5 hours ago
Chief of the fire department on the tragedy on the A4: Screams, wailing were heard from all sides...
The fire chief of DVD Breznički Hum recounted what happened at the scene of the accident on the A4 in which the Polish bus ran off the road. He claims that it was one of the most difficult incidents in his life.

5 hours ago

The condition of two patients in the OB Varaždin has worsened
News came from the Varaždin hospital last night that the condition of two patients had worsened.

"We have 11 patients in our institution, five in the intensive care unit, of which two are critical, three in traumatology and orthopedics, and three in the neurosurgery department. Given that these are polytraumas, the condition of two patients worsened during the day," director of OB Varaždin Damir Poljak told HTV.

5 hours ago
The four injured are returning to Poland
Polish Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski announced that four people injured in a tragic accident in Croatia in which 12 people died are returning to Poland.

"The Polish state does not leave its citizens without help. Together with the Polish delegation, four people injured in a tragic accident in Croatia are returning to Warsaw," Niedzielski announced on Twitter.

He added that the others "remain under the best care in Croatian hospitals. We will keep you informed about their state of health".

Among the 32 injured people, four of whom are returning to the country, 19 are still in serious condition in five Croatian hospitals. The Polish Minister of Health, Polish media reports, confirmed that the prognosis for five of them is uncertain.

5 hours ago
An eyewitness speaks: The bus driver lost control, broke through the fence and landed on the highway
The investigation of the Polish bus accident in which 12 people lost their lives today on the highway near Breznica found that the driver lost control of the steering wheel, and in order to determine the cause of the accident, an autopsy of the victims and an expert examination of the driver's alcoholism were ordered.

The accident that happened on Saturday around 5:25 on the Goričan-Zagreb highway in the direction of Zagreb near the town of Breznica was investigated by the Deputy State Attorney of the Varaždin County together with the police officers of the Varaždin Police, the State Attorney's Office reported on its website.

The driver lost control of the bus and swerved into the right lane
According to the data collected so far, the traffic accident occurred when the driver of the bus registered in Poland lost control of the steering wheel of the vehicle, which veered to the right, broke through the guardrail and landed outside the highway.

12 people from the bus died in the accident, including the bus driver, all citizens of Poland. In order to determine the manner and cause of the traffic accident, the State Attorney's Office ordered an autopsy of the deceased persons, an expert opinion on the intoxication of the bus driver, and the conduct of other necessary investigations and evidentiary actions.

There were 44 people in the bus
There were 44 people in the Polish bus that went off the highway yesterday - 42 passengers and two drivers. 12 people died, and 32 people are currently being treated, Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović reported in front of the hospital in Varaždin.

Minister of Health Vili Beroš said during a tour of the injured in Varaždin that 19 people were seriously injured and 13 were lightly injured.

The Ministry of the Interior reported on Twitter that at 16:50 the section Breznički Hum - Komin in the direction of Zagreb was now open for all traffic.

You can follow the latest (Google Translate is your friend on the Index.hr live feed.

August 7, 2022 - The owner of the Polish bus which crashed with 12 fatalities in Croatia yesterday morning has been speaking to the media, reports Index.hr. 

"Eleven people died on the spot, and a twelfth died in the operating room. Dozens are in hospitals. I'm in shock, on tranquilizers. My life is ruined," says Jacek Antoszkiewicz, owner of the Megapol transport company whose bus had a serious accident in Croatia early yesterday morning.

Let us remind you that the accident happened yesterday around 5:40 a.m. on the A4 highway towards Zagreb, between Jarek Bisaški and Podvorec.

"The bus left on Friday at 9 a.m. from the Warszawa-Zachodnia railway station," explains Jacek Antoszkiewicz in an interview with Fakt. "There were 44 people in the vehicle, including two experienced drivers," he added. According to him, the bus was correct, it passed all technical tests, but he did not want to say whether this was the first such long route for the drivers.

"People, don't torture me. I'm shocked and on tranquilizers. My life has fallen apart. It's a terrible tragedy for me," he says in despair.

The pilgrimage was organized by the office of the Brotherhood of St. Josip. Among the pilgrims were three priests, six nuns and pilgrims from the vicinity of Konin, Sokołów and Jedlnia near Radom.

More on this story on TCN:

Božinović: On-Site Investigation Completed, 44 Persons on Board Polish Bus

Croatian PM Extends Condolences to Polish PM

Fatal Bus Crash in Croatia, 12 Polish Tourists Killed (Updated Report)

August 6, 2022 - A deadly traffic accident occurred around 5:40 a.m. on the A4 highway (Varaždin-Zagreb), when a bus with Polish registrations ran off the road.

Update at 8:15 pm: The Chief of the Varaždin County Police Department gave a statement to RTL Television this afternoon, explaining that one of the drivers has passed away, while they're still unable to determine who the other driver was or what his condition is. The police investigation at the scene of the crash is finished, and they've determined that the bus has swerved off the highway, and crashed into the ditch by the highway. He added that the police were able to talk to some of the passengers, and determined that most of them were asleep. It is also very difficult to get any specific information from them, as they're in a state of shock or in various types of trauma.

Update at 2:03 pm: The Večernji list daily brings the reporting from the Polish website rmf.pl, including the tweet by the Polish Infrastructure Ministry, which claims that the bus was made in 2011, and that it has gone through all the necessary inspections in June this year and was found to be in good condition. The bus left Warsaw yesterday morning, and their next stop was Jasna Góra in Częstochowie, where the pilgrims participated in a eucharist. During the night, they traveled through Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia. They were supposed to get to Međugorje in the early afternoon hours. The plan was for them to return to Poland next Friday.

Update at 1:43 pm: Health minister Vili Beroš confirmed the numbers: in addition to 12 casualties, there are 32 injured passengers. 19 of those are seriously injured while 13 have less serious injuries. The injured passengers are in various Croatian hospitals, from Varaždin, Čakovec, and 4 hospitals in Zagreb. There was a total of 44 people on the bus.

Update at 11:33 am: Croatian Minister of the Interior, Davor Božinović, held a press conference at the site of the horrible accident, where he confirmed that additional people are fighting for their lives in various hospitals. He also added that from what the police and other rescue services were able to determine, there weren't additional people trapped underneath the bus. He confirmed that there were no children in the bus, adding: "There are only injured people, and those who lost their lives in this crash. Nobody was left unhurt."

Polish Prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki tweeted about the tragedy, confirming the close cooperation with the Croatian authorities.

2/2 O szczegółach tragedii rozmawiałem dziś rano z premierem Chorwacji @AndrejPlenkovic, który zapewnił o pełnym wsparciu chorwackich służb medycznych. Poleciłem naszym służbom konsularnym organizację wsparcia dla rodzin uczestników wypadku.

— Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) August 6, 2022

Update at 10:11 am: Zagreb Clinical Hospital has reported that another one of the injured passengers was declared dead after unsuccessful reanimation. The Polish Prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and the staff from the Polish embassy in Zagreb reportedly confirmed that the bus was on its way to Međugorje.

According to the first information by the Croatian media, 11 people have died, and the number of travellers injured is greater and yet unconfirmed. The accident occurred on the 62nd kilometer of the highway between Jarek Bisaški and Podvorec, in direction of Zagreb.

"So far we know that 11 people died, while the other injured were transported to hospitals in Zagreb and Varaždin. The intervention has been completed, on the ground, there are more firefighters on duty," county fire chief Željko Nagy told Večernji list. As for the injured, Nagy said that they were taken over by an ambulance and that he did not know the severity of those injuries. He said that everyone was pulled out of the bus, and that the cause of the accident was not yet known. 

The Police Department of Varaždin briefly announced that, in addition to police officers from the Varaždin and Zagreb police departments, several ambulance and firefighting teams from both counties were engaged at the scene of the accident.

Traffic on the A4 highway in the direction of Zagreb flows very slowly this morning, in one lane with the regulation of police officers.

We will update this tragic story as more details become available.