Polish pilgrims killed in Croatia bus crash en route to Medjugorje

Croatia’s prime minister expresses his sorrow for the deaths of at least twelve Polish pilgrims who were killed after their bus veered off the road in Croatia while on their way to the Catholic shrine of Medjugorje in neighboring Bosnia.

By Stefan J. Bos

Police and rescue workers surround the wreckage of a bus where pilgrims have experienced horrific moments. Their vehicle veered off the A4 road between the Croatian villages of Jarek Bisaski and Podvorec, northeast of Zagreb, the capital.

The bus ended up in a roadside ditch, killing at least a dozen passengers and injuring dozens more. It marked the tragic end of a trip organized by the Catholic Brotherhood of St Joseph.

Officials said the passengers, including three priests and six nuns, were going to Medjugorje, the famed Catholic shrine in Bosnia drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors yearly.

Investigation

Poland's justice minister and prosecutor general ordered the Warsaw Prosecutors Office to investigate the cause of the crash.

Additionally, two Polish ministers went to Croatia to learn more about the tragedy.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković expressed his condolences to the victims' families, saying "emergency services were doing all they could to help."

But as recovery work continues, there are concerns that the death toll may rise.

Croatia's government said at least some of the many injured are fighting for their lives in hospital.

Listen to our report