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Stuck on a bus

41 Israelis snowbound on Hungary-Austria border

Heavy snowfall leaves bus with 41 Israeli tourists stuck on highway for over 20 hours. 'Someone has to help us' says passenger. Foreign Ministry: Aware of situation, ambulances standing by

Some 50 Israelis who are vacationing in Hungary have found themselves snowbound when their bus got stuck between Vienna and Budapest due to heavy snow fall.

 

The group has not been able to leave the bus since Thursday afternoon and is stuck without food or water. The group was among thousands of residents and tourists likewise stuck in their vehicles unable to continue on their way.

 

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"We've been stuck for over 20 hours without water or anything. No one has managed to reach us," said Avital Tzadok, one of the bus passengers. "Someone has to help us," she begged.


מבט מתוך האוטובוס (צילום: רן דרור)

View from the bus

 

The highway between the Austrian and Hungarian capitals is blocked 90 kilometers out of Budapest. "We're a group of Israelis from around Israel who happened to meet each other on the bus," Tzadok told Ynet. Tzadok and 10 other passengers missed their return flights to Israel because of the storm. The embassy has been contacted, but so far there has been no response.

 

The bus began its journey at 8 am on Thursday – when a light snow was already falling. "We saw several accidents along the way but didn't think it meant anything. When we got back (from the day trip) at around 16:45 and already crossed the border back in to Hungary, the storms started. We've been stuck on the bus since 5 pm on Thursday.

 

The passengers spent the night on the bus and now fear they will "run out of fuel, and we'll be left without heating or anything else."

 

Tzadok added that ZAKA personnel promised that they would bring water but it hasn't happened. "We don't know what to do, there is someone here who suffers from diabetes and doesn't have insulin. There are little children here and even a baby."

 

The Foreign Ministry said in response that it is aware of the situation but that a few more hours are needed in order to rescue the bus and that the snow plows are working to clear the roads. The ministry further stated that ambulances and equipment are standing by to offer medical treatment to those who need it.

 

 

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פרסום ראשון: 03.15.13, 15:07
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