Driver blamed in Hungary bus crash

Passengers' belongings were thrown from the bus

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Police have blamed a bus driver for the crash in Hungary that killed 19 people.

Spokesman Ferenc Vass said: "Our experts say that he was driving too fast for the road conditions."

The bus, carrying pilgrims from Stoczek in eastern Poland, was heading to a shrine to the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje in southeast Bosnia when it crashed on Monday near Lake Balaton in Hungary. (Full story)

The coach was travelling at about 80 km/h (50 mph) when it hit a curb, careened into the centre of a roundabout and overturned.

Vass told The Associated Press that police had not ruled out technical problems contributing to the accident but added weather conditions were good and no other vehicle was involved.

"The technical examination of the wreckage has begun, and we hope that will shed more light on ... the accident," said Vass.

Two children, eight women and nine men, including the driver, were killed and 32 were injured in the crash, authorities said.

The bus was carrying 49 pilgrims, including a priest, and two drivers.

The crash occurred at a roundabout shortly after 1:15 a.m. on Monday between the towns of Balaton Keresztur and Balaton Szentgyorgy, near Lake Balaton, around 200 km (130 miles) southwest of Budapest.

Damage was so severe that the bus had to be cut into pieces to remove the casualties.

The crash occurred on the main highway between Budapest and Zagreb, Croatia. The route is frequently used by holidaymakers from Poland heading to Greek and Turkish resorts.