EXCLUSIVE
An elderly couple who narrowly escaped death after a Greyhound bus allegedly veered into their lane “lost everything” after their camper van was destroyed in the crash, a friend has revealed.
The couple left Townsville in their 4×4, with a camper van in tow, on Sunday morning and were heading south on the Bruce Highway when they collided with the bus at Gumlu in north Queensland at about 11am.
While the “hero” 4×4 driver managed to get his vehicle off the road, saving the lives of the couple and many of the bus’s passengers, the bus crashed into their caravan, sending huge metal fragments through the front right window.
Three passengers on the bus – Emma ‘Alli’ Sailor, 56, from Townsville, and two German tourists in their twenties and thirties – died at the scene, while 27 other people on board were injured. The bus driver also miraculously survived, although he suffered serious injuries.
The elderly couple’s friend Lesley Santana told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that they were “doing fine” under the circumstances.
“They’re in shock more than anything,” he said.
“They have lost everything because the caravan has been demolished… No clothes, no medicines, etc.”
Pictured: The crumpled remains of a camper van were embedded in the front of the Greyhound bus after the crash.
“But they are grateful to be still alive, just like us.”
Meanwhile, new details have emerged about the massacre that rescuers found at the scene.
Nurses Cassandra and Mark Thomas, who were heading north to Cairns for a holiday, were among the first people to arrive at the scene of the accident.
“I’ve seen a lot of horrible things over the years in the RFS and as a nurse, but the massacre on that bus is something I’ll never forget,” Thomas said.
The update comes after witnesses spoke outThe elderly driver of a 4×4 vehicle for their quick response to the oncoming bus, which they believe saved the lives of other motorists.
“He was a hero for his actions,” Janice Beavis said.
‘They (the elderly couple) were behaving in a safe manner. The bus collided with the van, the driver (of the 4×4) was trying to escape.
‘He saved himself, his wife, his mother and three girls who were travelling behind him.’
The bus was travelling from Brisbane to Townsville with 33 people on board and was reportedly running late.
Police are investigating whether fatigue played a role in the fatal collision.
Mackay Whitsunday Forensic Accident Unit Officer in Charge Sergeant Michael Hollett said initial police investigations indicated the bus had veered into the oncoming lane.
The three deceased women and 27 injured passengers were on board the bus, while those inside the 4×4 were unharmed.
He said the incident unfolded “quickly” and the 4×4 driver “did what he could” but was unable to avoid the accident.
Greyhound Australia chief executive Dan Smith said the company was “heartbroken” that three people had been killed and several more injured in the collision.
“This is a tragic incident and we send our deepest condolences to those involved, their families and friends,” he said.
‘We are working closely with the authorities to assist them with their investigation and to understand the course of events that led to this accident. We are also providing support to our team members affected by this tragedy.
‘We will provide further updates as more information becomes available and we ask that you respect the privacy of those involved at this extremely difficult time.’
Investigators believe the Greyhound bus allegedly swerved into the path of a car towing a trailer.
The horrific crash caused major delays on the Bruce Highway, which was closed in both directions.
Queensland Police Superintendent Graeme Paine said investigators would interview more witnesses as they worked to determine the cause of the crash.
“We have gathered a significant amount of evidence at the scene. As we process it and interview more witnesses, we hope to get a clearer picture of exactly how it happened,” he told Sunrise on Monday morning.
‘I would also like to acknowledge the role played by members of the public at the scene in assisting and treating some of the injured people.
‘It was a very significant and very confrontational incident.
“With any incident like this, the initial response is very chaotic and very complex. Being in a situation like this is incredibly challenging.”
Shocking footage from the aftermath of the crash shows the camper van’s cab embedded in the front of the bus, which had been pushed onto nearby train tracks.
The speed limit on the Bruce Highway where the accident occurred was 100 km/h.
The Bruce Highway stretches over 1,670km from Brisbane to Cairns and is an important transport corridor for freight, local communities and other motorists.
For years, the highway has been plagued by safety, congestion, flooding and funding problems and has claimed hundreds of lives.
Between 2020 and 2023, the Bruce Highway claimed the lives of 134 people. Between the beginning of this year and April, nine people have died.
The tragedy has renewed calls for major improvements to the deadly highway, and the region’s mayor said the accident could have been avoided.