The bus ran into a ditch and tipped over early on Sunday ​near the town of Mezokeresztes in eastern Hungary, police said, ​adding that the bus was heading towards the city of ⁠Nyiregyhaza on the motorway when the accident happened.

State news agency MTI ​said there were 57 passengers and two drivers on the bus.

Pictures ​from the scene showed a badly damaged red bus lying on one side in a ditch by the motorway with windows smashed and belongings and suitcases scattered ​around.

“A Polish-registered bus travelling on the M3 motorway towards Nyiregyhaza … veered ​off the straight stretch of road into a ditch and overturned. Preliminary information suggests ‌the ⁠driver likely fell asleep,” police said on their website.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki said on X: “It is with deep sorrow that I received the tragic news of the Polish bus accident in Hungary, in which so ​many of our ​compatriots died.”

Twelve ⁠people lost their lives, and several others were injured in the accident, police said, adding that they were ​taking the bus driver into custody.

The injured have been ​taken to ⁠hospital.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on X that a “tragic accident” involving a bus carrying Polish tourists happened in Hungary.

“The consular service is operational. ⁠We ​are in contact with the Hungarian authorities. ​The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide verified information,” he said.