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Key events
‘It does appear that it was a wedding chartered bus’: Cessnock mayor
Jay Suvaal, the mayor of Cessnock City Mayor, says the 10 people who have died in the bus roll-over appear to have been people coming from a wedding:
He has told ABC News Breakfast:
We’re still waiting for further details to come to light as the investigations continue.
We don’t know the circumstances around the crash at the moment.
But it does appear that it was a wedding chartered bus that had been coming from a wedding earlier that day.
Jenny Aitchison, the state member for Maitland, where the tragedy has occurred, has expressed her condolences to the loved ones of those involved in the tragedy and thanked the first responders:
I extend my deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones involved in the tragedy in the Hunter overnight.
Thank you to all who have responded to this incident in tragic circumstances.
Road closures
Wine Country Drive remains closed in both directions at Greta, west of Maitland.
Motorists are being advised they can divert around the closure via Bridge Street, Drinan Street, Clift Street and the New England Highway.
The northbound and southbound off-ramps from the Hunter Expressway to Wine Country Drive are also closed, although through lanes are not affected.
Due to the nature of the crash, the NSW Transport Management Centre says there is no forecast for how long the road will be closed.
Crime scene established as police investigate
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash has commenced, with a large-scale emergency response involving local police, rescue squad and highway patrol officers, ambulance paramedics, NSW Fire and Rescue and the Rural Fire Service.
A crime scene has been established, which will be examined by specialist forensic police and the force’s crash investigation unit.
The 58-year-old driver of the bus has been taken to hospital under police guard for mandatory testing and assessment.
Good morning
We have awoken to horrific news overnight that 10 people have been killed when a bus rolled in the NSW Hunter Valley, with 11 more taken to hospital by road and helicopter.
Emergency services were called to the crash site about 11.30pm last night at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive near Greta.
Initial inquiries indicate 10 people have died, 11 were injured and a further 18 passengers were uninjured, according to a police statement.
We’ll have more details on that shortly and updates throughout the day.
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