THE driver of a bus involved in a crash that killed 10 wedding guests and injured 25 others in the Hunter was expected to be charged on Monday as the community continued to come to terms with the scale of the tragedy.
Maitland man Brett Button, 58, is facing 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death - drive manner dangerous, as well as negligent driving occasioning death. He is due to face Cessnock Local Court.
The chaos unfolded when the six-wheeler coach carrying guests from the wedding of Hunter couple Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell, at Wandin Valley Estate, rolled at about 11.30pm on Sunday.
The pair are well-known members of the Hunter Aussie rules football community.
The 54-person capacity bus was carrying 35 passengers and the driver.
Ten people died and more than 20 others were sent to hospitals in Newcastle, Maitland and Sydney - one remained in a critical condition at John Hunter on Monday.
The coach came to a stop on its side on top of the roadside guard rail at the roundabout on Wine Country Drive and the Hunter Expressway. Tyre marks could be seen about 40 metres leading up to the crash site.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said from Greta on Monday afternoon that the exact cause of the crash may not be known "for some time".
"It will require scientific examination, and that takes time," she said.
"The most complex part of this job ahead of police now is actually accounting for the victims and the passengers on the bus. You can imagine the scene that was confronting police when they attended. Some people were transported to different locations and then diverted.
"Police have the arduous task now of matching individuals from the bus with property located in the bus."
NSW Police acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman said it was a "frantic scene" and emergency crews were able to pull some passengers from the wreck through the front window of the bus.
"It's a tragic set of circumstances," she said.
"The number of family members, but more broadly the community, who will be impacted by this, you couldn't count.
"It was a confronting and very traumatic scene."
Coach operator Linq Buslines said in a statement it offered its "deepest condolences" to those who lost loved ones in the crash.
"We are incredibly saddened to learn of the bus crash that has occurred overnight," the company said.
"Our hearts are with everyone involved in this terrible tragedy and we send our deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones. We would like to thank the first responders to the scene, the emergency personnel and those who are continuing to assist."
Transport for NSW acting secretary Howard Collins said the question of who on the bus was wearing a seatbelt would be part of the police investigation.
"I think it's a timely reminder for everybody ... to ensure they have a safe journey and get home," he said.
"That includes making sure you're safe and that includes wearing seatbelts."
Police are still trying to identify everyone involved - they are asking people to contact Cessnock Police Station if they believe they had a family member on the bus.
Anyone else with information for police is being asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 to keep the police station phone line clear for families.
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