Australia- Bus carrying wedding guests in Australian wine region rolls over, killing 10 and injuring 25, 12 June '23, *Bus driver arrested*

[mussopossum]

I know it's cold comfort, but I'm just grateful the bus wasn't at maximum capacity. I know that emergency services and medical services did an absolutely bang-up job, wouldn't surprise me if in the future there are commendations awarded, but that bus could have held over fifty people. If they'd filled it past capacity - which happens, I recall 'school-run' buses in my youth where there were kids literally standing in the stairwells against the doors like sardines - we could be looking at dozens more killed. It could have been the whole wedding party on board, the happy couple, grandparents, kids...

I'm looking at the horror of it all and all I can think is, thank goodness it wasn't worse. Some of the other old cases being mentioned in the articles, the death tolls were so much higher. That wedding yesterday in Nigeria, on a boat... there are over a hundred dead and unaccounted for.

I'm horrified at the ten deaths, the serious injuries in the survivors, but I guess I'm just relieved that so many did survive this. That those who did survive get a chance to go on, to exist beyond this tragedy.

MOO

And I have not even considered until your post what those that survived this would also be going through. I am so glad too that the bus was not full.

 

[Eloise]

The driver was not flipping the bird. If you watch the full video, he's just holding onto and adjusting his jacket. It was just a single frame that the media have taken and run with to make him look bad (and get more clicks, no doubt). That image makes it look like they were really close to him too whereas if you watch other footage you can see how far away they actually were at that point 'that' still image is taken from.

Now, I think there's a lot to be concerned about. I'm not defending him, because his actions are indefensible and if he has even the slightest whiff of a conscious this will haunt him until the day he dies. The reports from survivors plus reports from other people who have been on his buses are extremely concerning, it does seem like he has a history of reckless driving. I know I've been on buses a few times where the driver has truly felt like they were going way too fast and the feeling of 'okay well my life is in your hands and I can't do a thing' is bloody awful.

Only 58?
MOO, this is the face of a drinking man.

Quite possibly he is, but its mandatory to have blood and urine testing after a crash in NSW and these came back clear.

Upstate limo operator convicted of manslaughter in crash that killed 20

Nauman Hussain, 33, was found guilty of 20 counts of manslaughter in the 2018 stretch limo crash that killed 20 people. The jury deliberated for just six hours before reaching a verdict on Wednesda…

nypost.com

Reminds me of the limousine crash in NY that killed 20. The driver was just convicted because the vehicle should not have been driven due to safety reasons. Obviously different reasons for the crashes, but still large losses of life caused by a driver.

Thank you to all the locals for your updates and explanations.

I thought of the same accident. That whole thing was horrifying. tbh I've always been utterly put off by booze buses, party buses, hummer limos etc. Part of why I've always nominated myself as designated driver is that I like to be in control. I know I'm not driving a dodgy vehicle with crappy brakes, I know I'm not going to go skylarking and I'm not sneaking in a few drinks for the road on the sly. I can't trust anyone else though!

There's a really sharp drop off to the right in the photo of the bus, there. If it wasn't for that railing...

If you look at it on google maps I think that photo just gives a very strange perspective. It's not perfectly flat, there's a ditch, but its not as bad as that photo makes it look. I thought the same thing at first.

 

[iamshadow21]

If you look at it on google maps I think that photo just gives a very strange perspective. It's not perfectly flat, there's a ditch, but its not as bad as that photo makes it look. I thought the same thing at first.

RSBM

Okay, it's not as deep as I thought, but I think still plenty deep enough that if the bus had breached the railing fully, it would have ended up upside-down. This angle, compare the scale of the mature eucalypts to the rawcut stone. I think it's at least a couple of metres difference between the level of the road surface and the bottom of the gully.

Google Maps

MOO

 

[Erutan]

The accident doesn't even appear to be that bad, just a bus tipped over.
Not like tumbling down a cliff.

But if he was traveling at speed , and even more-- if the guard rail penetrated that bus....
It looks like the front windshield of the bus was shattered.
Wonder if he was going close to 100 mph ?
Awful !

Rest in peace to the precious souls lost and hoping for physical and emotional healing for those injured; and for the physically uninjured as well.
I cannot imagine having to carry those memories forever.

Sad, because it sounds like a lovely adventure to go on a wine/cheese tour.
Plus the wedding they'd attended.

 

[iamshadow21]

The accident doesn't even appear to be that bad, just a bus tipped over.
Not like tumbling down a cliff.

But if he was traveling at speed , and even more-- if the guard rail penetrated that bus....
It looks like the front windshield of the bus was shattered.
Wonder if he was going close to 100 mph ?
Awful !

Rest in peace to the precious souls lost and hoping for physical and emotional healing for those injured; and for the physically uninjured as well.
I cannot imagine having to carry those memories forever.

Sad, because it sounds like a lovely adventure to go on a wine/cheese tour.
Plus the wedding they'd attended.

The windshield was broken by the first responders gaining entry to assist the wounded, but yes, indications are that he was travelling at a high rate of speed contrary to the conditions.

He couldn't have driven at 100mph. Buses are limited by physical regulators to 100km/h here. That's roughly 62mph. Still way too fast for a country road, close to midnight, with heavy fog, with roadworks, with a load of passengers. At this stage, we don't know just how fast he was going, and we probably won't know until the crash investigation folks have crunched all their numbers and the case progresses to the point that that information becomes public.

MOO

 

[they'll get you]

He wasn’t giving the bird at 0:16 of the attached news video you can see the action was a split second of arranging his hoody.

Watch: Driver in deadly NSW wedding bus crash leaves court

Brett Andrew Button was silent in court, with survivors giving evidence of his unsafe behaviour and call to "fasten your seatbelts" moments before the crash.

www.1news.co.nz

 

[mussopossum]

I had a look at the crash scene and then Google Maps last night.

Did I hear or read that the teachers on the bus from the school Bathurst trip mentioned in speaking with police that the driver was preoccupied and spent some time talking to the teachers? and not concentrating enough on the road?

If he was driving to fast, and distracted by talking to some of the guests on that fatal bus trip just before the accident he might have suddenly seen the roundabout in the fog, done a sharp left hook on the wheel to avoid hitting it and the bus then flipped over. If he was distracted talking and messing around he may not have seen the signs in the fog leading up to the round about

 

[drsleuth]

I had a look at the crash scene and then Google Maps last night.

Did I hear or read that the teachers on the bus from the school Bathurst trip mentioned in speaking with police that the driver was preoccupied and spent some time talking to the teachers? and not concentrating enough on the road?

If he was driving to fast, and distracted by talking to some of the guests on that fatal bus trip just before the accident he might have suddenly seen the roundabout in the fog, done a sharp left hook on the wheel to avoid hitting it and the bus then flipped over. If he was distracted talking and messing around he may not have seen the signs in the fog leading up to the round about

He had already gone around most of the roundabout & was approaching the exit to Singleton thou

This is a huge roundabout , he may have been distracted, but he'd managed to almost exit the roundabout.

I think he was probably just speeding & lost control of the bus ,some passengers may have been standing & moving which would have made it worse IMO

The old saying.........speed kills


This pic is being shared on f/b

 

[iamshadow21]

Buses, documents, driver management under police spotlight in wake of Hunter Valley tragedy

Article boils down to - the bus company is undergoing a safety/compliance audit, as it should in the wake of a fatal crash, many local sportspeople and others are donating blood, and nine survivors are still in hospital/s.

 

[mussopossum]

He had already gone around most of the roundabout & was approaching the exit to Singleton thou

This is a huge roundabout , he may have been distracted, but he'd managed to almost exit the roundabout.

I think he was probably just speeding & lost control of the bus ,some passengers may have been standing & moving which would have made it worse IMO

The old saying.........speed kills


This pic is being shared on f/b

View attachment 428908

Thanks DS I must have been looking at the wrong point in GM of the roundabout

 

[mussopossum]

Looks like drivers are employed casually

Join The Team | Linq Buslines

Looking to join the Linq Buslines team? If you’re a passionate individual who would like to join a fantastic crew of drivers, please give us a call on 02 4353 9050.

linqbuslines.com.au

Employment​

Linq Buslines requires casual bus drivers with current MR licence and Transport for NSW accreditation to operate our school, route and charter services.

 

[mussopossum]

Not the same or the same model bus, but this was one of Linq Buslines fleets that caught fire twice, the second time was burnt out in 2014 whilst transporting passengers.

According to the report, at the time when the audit was carried out after the two fires it showed that the bus had been serviced regularly and maintained accordingly by the company.

Maintenance
Maintenance records showed that coach 4244 MO had been fully maintained and serviced regularly every calendar month or at 5000-kilometre intervals since being purchased by Linq Buslines.

https://www.otsi.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-06/technical_inspection_findings_martins_creek_beresfield_bus_fire_linq_buslines_20130910.pdf

 

[drsleuth]

Thanks DS I must have been looking at the wrong point in GM of the roundabout

No worries , this is the route he would have taken I think




This is the direction on the roundabout .

Wandin Estate to Greta

www.google.com

 

[mussopossum]

No worries , this is the route he would have taken I think

View attachment 428943


This is the direction on the roundabout .

View attachment 428944

Wandin Estate to Greta

www.google.com

Yep I was looking wrong spot thanks. I thought was that first turn on the roundabout

 

[mussopossum]

I won't speculate, because there's nothing out there that I know of about mental health concerns, but I admit that certain things do make me wonder. I expect if it is a factor, it will be made known at trial, if not before then.

MOO

This is the only report I have found on mental health could be poor reporting who knows

https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/brett-andrew-button-faces-court-over-hunter-valley-bus-crash/news-story/3ab46035c6ef9abe661d35f663800985

Mr Button’s lawyer, Chris O’Brien, told the court Mr Button had a range of medical conditions - including mental health issues - but they were not detailed.

 

[iamshadow21]

This is the only report I have found on mental health could be poor reporting who knows

https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/brett-andrew-button-faces-court-over-hunter-valley-bus-crash/news-story/3ab46035c6ef9abe661d35f663800985

Mr Button’s lawyer, Chris O’Brien, told the court Mr Button had a range of medical conditions - including mental health issues - but they were not detailed.

It's incredibly vague, sounds like typical defense lawyer stuff arguing for kid gloves. I don't think it's enough to speculate about at this stage.

MOO

 

[they'll get you]

On a foggy night at 11:30 p.m. AEST on 11 June 2023, a 2009 Volvo B7R bus operated by Linq Buslines overturned at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive at Greta

Hunter Valley bus crash - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

About the bus.

Volvo B7R - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Considering he had no drugs or alcohol in his system he was arrested and charged very quickly because these buses have cameras inside and outside. The whole trip would've been recorded.
imo.

 

[mussopossum]

Hunter Valley bus crash company issued with defect notices after police raid​

A cracked windscreen, oil leaks, inoperative seatbelts and insecure seats were found at two Linq Busline sites, police said

Hunter Valley bus crash company issued with defect notices after police raid

A cracked windscreen, oil leaks, inoperative seatbelts and insecure seats were found at two Linq Busline sites, police said

www.theguardian.com

 

[mussopossum]

On a foggy night at 11:30 p.m. AEST on 11 June 2023, a 2009 Volvo B7R bus operated by Linq Buslines overturned at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive at Greta

Hunter Valley bus crash - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

About the bus.

Volvo B7R - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Considering he had no drugs or alcohol in his system he was arrested and charged very quickly because these buses have cameras inside and outside. The whole trip would've been recorded.
imo.

And I would hate to be the one watching any internal footage of that crash during the investigation.

 

[dotr]

O/t Sad to have another thread so soon after this one, for a similar tragedy that occurred today in Canada.

Canada- 15 confirmed dead after collision between van carrying seniors and semi in southwestern Manitoba, 15 June '23

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/crash-carberry-manitoba-1.6877826 ''Fifteen people have been confirmed dead after a crash between a semi-trailer truck and a bus full of seniors headed to a casino in the southwestern Manitoba town of Carberry on Thursday, the commanding officer of the...

www.websleuths.com