The man driving a bus in Australia that crashed, killing 10 and injuring at least 20, was allegedly going too fast in foggy conditions, police say.
Many of the victims are connected to tight-knit rural sporting clubs, local media have reported.
Brett Andrew Button, 58, has been charged with multiple counts of dangerous driving and negligence, after being arrested on Monday.
He was allegedly driving “in a manner that was inconsistent with the conditions”, the NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander told reporters on Tuesday.
“He lost control of that vehicle… obviously the speed was too quick for him to negotiate that roundabout,” Acting Assistant Commissioner David Waddell added.
Fourteen people injured in the crash in the Hunter Valley wine region remain in hospital, with two in a critical condition, police say.
“I know we’ll never get over it,” Sue Moore told the BBC.
Some local families have been at the side of injured people in hospital in Newcastle and Sydney, Ms Moore said, and others are planning funerals while reeling from “the worst possible thing that could ever happen in their lives”.
A junior doctor, Rebecca Mullen, was among those killed, said NSW Health Minister Ryan Park.”This has made a very dark day even darker for NSW Health,” he said.
Tasmanian man Kane Symons also died in the crash, his former surf club confirmed on social media.
“We adored him and he will be truly missed,” they said.
Pop-up mental health clinics have been set up in Singleton and the nearby town of Cessnock to support the local community, and Ms Moore said discussions are under way to fundraise for the victims’ families.
“I see before me a man suffering,” Magistrate Robyn Richardson said, granting him bail.
The Cessnock Local Court heard Mr Button had committed seven driving offences over the past 30 years, but did not have a criminal record.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said the “horrific tragedy” had rocked the country, particularly because people “associate weddings with love and… celebrations”.
“Of course, the scars will last for such a long, long period of time,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The crash site was “still an active crime scene”, police said on Monday, with forensics officers working through the wreckage.
The Hunter Valley in NSW is known for its vineyards and native bushland, making it a popular spot for wine lovers and group outings or celebrations.