An elderly bus driver was reportedly praised for his actions after he helped save the lives of passengers following a fatal crash on Sunday.
Three passengers died and 27 others were injured after the bus they were traveling in collided with a car that was towing a caravan.
The incident occurred on the Bruce Highway near Gumlu in Queensland.
The Greyhound was traveling from Townsville to Brisbane with 33 passengers when it collided with the 4WD vehicle, which was towing a caravan.
Although the occupants of the car were lucky to be alive, the elderly man driving the 4WD was praised by eyewitnesses for swerving to avoid a collision with the oncoming bus. They believe he did so in order to save other people’s lives.
According to Janice Beavis, the bus driver acted heroically as the other passengers were reportedly behaving normally.
However, their trip ended in tragedy after the vehicle they were traveling in collided with a van. The tragic incident claimed the lives of a 56-year-old woman from Townsville named Emma Sailor, as well as two German women in their 20s and 30s.
Four individuals remain in hospital, with two of them fighting for their lives. They are identified as a man aged 23 and 24 and a man aged 27 and 51.
A survivor of Sunday’s tragic incident noted that the bus had left Rockhampton at 2 am instead of its scheduled time of 12:45 am.
Fatigue is being looked into by the police as a possible factor in the accident.
Superintendent Graeme Paine noted that the southbound 4WD had a significant impact on the northbound bus.
Despite the lack of factors yet identified, Superintendent Graeme Paine noted that the incident was a very tragic and significant incident.
He said the impact of the accident would reach far beyond the individuals who were directly involved.
The superintendent commended the first responders and the members of the public who responded to the scene for their efforts in helping the victims and preserving the area following the accident.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage is asked to contact the police.