Instead of celebrating their new lives together as husband and wife, an Australian couple is instead grieving the deaths of 10 of their wedding guests. The guests were on a bus leaving the wedding that had just taken place two hours away from Sydney when it overturned. In addition to the 10 people who died, 15 were injured in the crash.
Of the 15 injured guests, nine are in stable condition. The couple, Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell, who were supposed to be in wedded bliss at this time, have come forward with a statement about the crash.
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The couple asked that the media respect their privacy.
"While we appreciate the outpouring of love and support from the community, we ask that the media respect our privacy while we grieve," Gaffney and Edsell said in a statement according to The Sydney Morning Herald. “Our primary focus at this time is processing this tragedy, and supporting our family and friends.” The couple have said that they will not give media interviews.
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The groom's father is using the tragedy to lobby for stricter seatbelt laws.
But the groom's father, John Gaffney, did have a little bit more to say, and he did so through a post on LinkedIn.
“Last Sunday my wife and I attended our son’s wedding in the Hunter Valley NSW,” he began. “It was a glorious occasion until news of the bus crash with ten people losing their lives came within a few hours that has shattered many lives.”
'Hopefully something positive can come out of this tragedy,' the groom's father said.
He pointed out: “50 years ago the fitting and wearing of seat belts became compulsory in Australia for all occupants of motor cars saving countless lives since.”
John took the opportunity to solicit help from other Australians to petition their elected officials for seatbelt laws on buses as well as cars for personal use, writing: "Whilst my wife and I can’t do this on our own we believe ultimately everyone who rides a bus should have access to a seatbelt and be compelled by laws to wear them. It you can assist by lobbying your federal, state and members that would be appreciated. If a federal government petition could be set up that would be most appreciated."
The bus driver allegedly said, 'fasten your seatbelts' before the bus flipped over.
The bus driver, Brett Button, 58, was charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving as well as one count of negligent driving, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. During Button’s initial court appearance, a police prosecutor quoted witnesses who claimed Button was driving unsafely for a “prolonged” period of time.
He allegedly told passengers to “fasten your seatbelts” just before the crash took place. He has been released on bail and will be tried at a later date.
