Ten people are dead, and 11 have been rushed to hospital after a bus rolled while carrying dozens of guests after a wedding on Sunday night.
A 58-year-old bus driver has been taken to hospital under police guard for mandatory assessment.
Emergency services, including ambulance, NSW Fire and Rescue, NSW Rural Fire Service, police and Highway Patrol, rushed to a roundabout at Wine Country Drive near the Hunter Expressway off-ramp at Greta just after 11.30pm.
It’s understood the bus had picked up the guests from Wandin Valley Estate in Lovedale, around 17 minutes from where the crash unfolded.
In footage from Today, the bus was entirely on its side, and the front window was smashed. The program reported the vehicle was a 2009 Volvo bus, which carried a maximum of 57 people, and was equipped with seatbelts.
Sunrise reported that some passengers had limbs severed in the crash, and guests had sustained critical and life-threatening injuries.
While most patients were transported to John Hunter Hospital, which is equipped with major trauma facilities, guests were also transported to Maitland Hospital, Mater Hospital and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.
Initial reports indicate 18 people were uninjured.
Police remained at the scene into early Monday morning, with the Crash Investigation Unit and Transport for NSW also attending the scene.
One wedding guest told Sunrise it was a “fairytale” celebration before guests received the horrible news.
“It was a nice day, a pretty good wedding… fairytale stuff really… and we went to come back and get drunk, and we got the news that there had been a crash, and we all started panicking,” he said.
Multiple road diversions and closures remain in place as emergency services investigate the scene.
All northbound and southbound off-ramps from Hunter Expressway to Wine Country Drive remain closed.
Northbound motorists can use Lovedale Rd to access Wine Country Dr (suitable for all vehicles). To access Wine Country Dr, southbound motorists can use New England Hwy, Clift St, and Bridge St.
Heavy vehicles travelling southbound wishing to access Wine Country Drive have been advised to use Hermitage Rd and Broke Rd.
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Lifestyle News Click Here
