The driver behind the wheel of the bus which crashed in the New South Hunter Valley has been identified, with guests telling police how the 58-year-old made an alleged boast before it flipped.
A 58 year old driver has been charged following the horror bus crash in the Hunter Valley which claimed the lives of ten people.
The bus driver has been charged with ten counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death.
He has been refused bail and will remain in custody at Cessnock Police Station overnight before his first court appearance tomorrow.
They had just enjoyed a Sunday celebrating the love between Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell at their picturesque New South Wales countryside wedding.
Thirty five guests then boarded the doomed bus from the Wandin Estate venue in Lovedale, 50 minutes west of Newcastle, to Singleton where they were staying.
Wedding guests on the bus claim they recall the driver telling them, “if you think that was fast… watch this” before it crashed in the NSW Hunter Valley, killing 10 people. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift
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Passengers claim they recall Brett Andrew Button, 58, allegedly telling them over the microphone minutes into the trip: “If you think that was fast… watch this.”
Other survivors have told friends the speed of the bus left them concerned for their safety as they urged others around them to sit down, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Mr Button was on Monday night charged with ten counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and one count of negligent driving occasioning death.
He was refused bail and will face Cessnock Local Court on Tuesday.
The bus was driving towards a big roundabout at the town of Greta during heavy fog, which limited visibility, late on Sunday night before the smash. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles
Passengers seated on the left of the bus bore the brunt of the impact as it landed on a metal guard rail. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles
The bus was travelling towards a big roundabout on Wine Country Drive at Greta in thick fog before it crashed and flipped onto its side.
Passengers sitting on the left hand side of the bus bore the brunt of the impact, as it landed on a metal guard rail.
An off-duty paramedic was first to arrive at the shocking scene, with a major incident declared soon after the arrival of the first responders.
Ten people died in the crash, with more than a dozen others suffering from minor injuries to severe head and neck trauma and broken bones. Picture: Jonathan Ng
Ten people were declared dead at the scene.
They have been identified as Singleton husband and wife Andrew and Lynan Scott and mother and daughter Nadene and Kya McBride.
Nadene’s husband remains in hospital with neck injuries while her daughter’s boyfriend is reportedly still unaccounted for.
The others killed were Zachary Bray from Byron Bay, Queenslander Angus Craig, Victorian Darcy Bulman, and Tori Cowburn and Rebecca Mullen from Singleton.
The victims have not been formally identified, which is set to take some days, but family liaison policy officers have notified loved ones of their deaths.
Husband and wife Andrew and Lynan Scott are two of the victims killed in the crash. Picture: Facebook
Singleton local Kyah McBride was killed alongside her mother. Her boyfriend is unaccounted for, while her dad is in hospital with neck injuries. Picture: Facebook
Another 25 guests were taken by road or helicopter to surrounding hospitals suffering from minor injuries to severe head and neck trauma, as well as broken bones.
Others, including Mr Button, were able to extricate themselves from the mangled bus through a smashed windscreen.
The ones with more severe injuries remained inside until help arrived.
Of those taken to hospital, one person remains in a critical condition as of Tuesday.
Eight passengers are in a stable condition at John Hunter Hospital and five others are also stable at nearby Maitland and Newcastle and Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred.
Locals and loved ones left bouquets of flowers at the scene. Picture: Roni Bintang/Getty Images
Locals arrived at the scene throughout Monday to leave bouquets of flowers.
“It happened this close to home, it’s pretty sad… it’s all we can do pretty much to say we’re thinking of the families,” one woman said.
“It’s very scary to know that people in your community this is what’s happened. We send our love to everyone and hope, especially the family of the bride and groom are OK and everyone in hospital will make it out safe,” another woman added.
Crash investigators remain at the scene as they investigate the circumstances of the crash. Passengers have or will be interviewed by detectives in coming days.
The road is expected to be closed for some time, with motorists urged to find alternate routes or check livetraffic.com before they travel.
Anyone with information about the incident or may have dash cam footage should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.