Polish military doctors deploy to Hungary to evaluate 3 severely injured coach crash survivors

Military medical team deploys to Hungary

Three military doctors from the Military Institute of Medicine (WIM-PIB) in Poland deployed to Hungary to support the medical response following the Polish coach crash. The dispatched team consists of military physicians specializing in anesthesiology and intensive care, emergency medicine, orthopedics and traumatology, as well as neurosurgery. These specialists actively participate in developing the operational capabilities of the Special Operations Surgical Team (SOST). Their primary assignment involves conducting a specialized clinical evaluation of the injured Polish citizens and reviewing the medical treatments administered by local Hungarian staff. As outlined by institute spokesman Mariusz Gierej, the team is tasked with establishing precise parameters for safe medical transport, outlining follow-up clinical plans in Poland, and organizing repatriation once patients attain transport readiness.

Specialist assessment of the condition of the injured and the course of treatment to date, determining the conditions for their safe transport, preparing a plan for further treatment after returning to Poland, including, in clinically justified cases, at WIM-PIB, and planning and medical coordination of their evacuation once transport capability is achieved.

Consultations and status of hospitalized patients

Following arrival in Hungary, the Polish medical team conducted on-site discussions with Hungarian physicians, hospital department heads, and members of the humanitarian-medical aid team. The specialists also met directly with the families of hospitalized Polish citizens to provide updates and assess ongoing patient needs. Following these assessments, officials determined that Hungarian hospitals are delivering identical medical care to what would be provided in Polish facilities. Consequently, the Polish government decided that the three most severely injured individuals will remain hospitalized in Hungary until their clinical conditions improve sufficiently for safe transit. The medical team continues to monitor their vital parameters and progress to determine when subsequent air transport can be authorized without compromising patient safety.

Staged repatriation of 35 injured passengers

Prior to the deployment of the military evaluation team, 35 injured passengers were transported back to Poland across the week using aircraft from the Polish Medical Air Rescue (LPR) and government planes. The initial repatriation flight occurred on Monday, carrying 21 individuals back to Poland. Among that first group, five individuals required ongoing inpatient hospital care, and two of those patients have since been discharged home. On Wednesday, a second evacuation flight transported 12 injured passengers to Poland, where ground ambulances transferred them directly to medical facilities in Rzeszów. Podkarpackie Voivode Teresa Kubas-Hul stated that all 12 patients undergoing treatment in Rzeszów hospitals are in good condition, although they still require continued medical supervision and hospitalization.

Crash circumstances and cross-border investigation

The fatal road disaster occurred around 1:00 on Sunday along the M3 motorway near the locality of Mezőkeresztes in eastern Hungary. The coach was carrying 59 Polish citizens who were on their return journey from a religious pilgrimage to Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The collision resulted in 12 fatalities, all of whom were confirmed to be adult residents of Poland's Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Authorities confirmed that the bodies of all 12 deceased victims have been officially identified. The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Krosno is conducting an official investigation into the causes and circumstances of the disaster, working in direct coordination with Hungarian law enforcement authorities.