Content Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following article contains an image and name of a person who has died.
Families are mourning the victims of one of Australia’s worst bus crashes in decades, after a coach crashed in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley on Sunday night.
The coach, carrying 36 people, was returning guests from a wedding reception at Wandin Estate Winery in Lovedale to Singleton when it overturned at around 11.30pm.
Guests had travelled from Melbourne, Queensland, Byron Bay and Sydney to attend the wedding of Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsel, a couple who were highly involved with the local AFL club the Singleton Roosters.
So far, 10 people have been confirmed dead in the crash, with a junior doctor, a husband and wife, and a mother and daughter named among the victims.
Singleton Mayor Sue Moore said her close-knit community is struggling to come to terms with the extent of the loss.
A vigil was held at the Singleton Baptist Church on Tuesday evening, with members coming together to mourn and show their support.
As more details about the crash come to light, here’s what we know about the 10 lives lost.
Nadene and Kyah McBride
Mother and daughter Nadene and Kyah McBride have been named as two of the victims of the bus crash.
22-year-old Kyah played for the Singleton Roosterettes, which Nadene coached.
In a tribute shared on Facebook, the Sydney Women’s AFL Masters said their community was “shocked and saddened by the tragic news”.
“Our thoughts and sympathy extend to all the friends, families and teammates of Nads and Kyah and the Singleton football community,” they wrote.
Nadene’s husband, Graham McBride, is reportedly being treated in hospital.
“There are no words to describe the grief our family is feeling at this time,” the McBride family said in a statement.
Andrew and Lynan Scott
Married couple Andrew and Lynan Scott also lost their lives.
Andrew, a physiotherapist and Lynan, an engineer, played for the Singleton Roosters, alongside the bride and groom, as well as others involved in the crash.
The couple leave behind two young children.
Rebecca Mullen
Rebecca Mullen, a junior doctor who worked at Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital, was one of the younger victims unable to be saved.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed she had passed away on Tuesday.
“This has made a very dark day even darker for New South Wales Health,” he told reporters.
“We’ve lost one of our own. Someone who was obviously going to have a long and illustrious career in medicine has been taken way too early.”
Rebecca is survived by her fiancee Sam Howard.
Kane Symons
Kane Symons has been remembered as a keen surfer, a remarkable leader and a genuine friend.
“Kane, otherwise known as ‘Superman’ was an amazing athlete who competed at the highest level. But more than that he was a leader, a great bloke and a mate to many,” Carlton Park Surf Lifesaving Club President, Christine Gaby, wrote on Facebook on behalf of the Symons Family.
“We adored him and he will be truly missed.”
Darcy Bulman
Darcy Bulman was an investigator for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission from Melbourne.
The 30-year-old travelled to the wedding with her partner, who is believed to be among those injured.
Zach Bray
Bowel cancer survivor Zach Bray was also among those killed.
Zach was 25 when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2019, and later became an ambassador for The Gut Foundation.
Originally from Sydney’s northern beaches, Zach worked as a mining engineer in the Hunter Valley.
His father, Adam, spoke of his pride for his son in a tribute on social media.
“Zach Bray… (you) have become a giant of a man in every possible way, proud doesn’t even come close,” he wrote.
Tori Cowburn
Tori Cowburn was captain of the Roosterettes.
She also played netball, touch football, tennis and basketball.
Angus Craig
Angus Craig has also been named as one of the victims.
He had worked for the mining company, BHP, as an engineer in Queensland.
Read more:
‘Get me there, I need to go.’ The moment Bride Madeleine Edsell heard about the Hunter Valley crash.
A married couple and 8 other lives lost: Everything we know about the Hunter Valley bus crash.
The Singleton Roosters Australian Football Club has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the victims’ families. You can find out more information and donate here.
– With AAP.
Feature Image: Facebook.