A 61-year-old passenger injured in a Transperth bus crash in Perth’s northern suburbs has died in hospital, while police continue investigating whether the driver suffered a medical episode before the vehicle left the road. The crash happened on Joondalup Drive in Wanneroo around 11am on Thursday, when the bus lost control and struck a tree. Seven passengers were hurt in the incident, along with the driver.
The man who died was taken first to Joondalup Health Campus for treatment and later transferred to Royal Perth Hospital, where he died overnight. A 59-year-old woman who was also critically injured remains in a serious condition at Royal Perth Hospital. The driver, a 56-year-old man, was taken to the same hospital and is also understood to be in a serious condition.
Five other passengers suffered minor injuries. One of them, a 26-year-old man believed to have been seated at the back of the bus, has since been discharged from hospital.
Emergency services quickly attended the scene after the bus crashed into the tree on Joondalup Drive. Police cordoned off the area while firefighters, paramedics and other responders assisted the injured and worked to secure the scene. The crash caused major disruption, with Joondalup Drive closed between Burns Beach Road and Wanneroo Road for much of the day.
Police have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the crash. A witness who was driving nearby and stopped to help said she saw the bus swerve across the road before hitting the tree. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether the driver may have experienced a sudden medical episode.
Western Australia Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said police were still working to establish what happened and that onboard CCTV footage would help clarify the sequence of events. She said the crash was a tragedy for everyone involved and offered condolences to the families affected. She also said investigators would consider all factors as part of the inquiry.
Police said inquiries were ongoing and urged anyone with information or footage of the crash to contact Crime Stoppers. The investigation will focus on the driver’s condition, the bus’s movements before the impact, and any evidence from passengers, witnesses or CCTV that may help explain why the bus left the road. The death of the 61-year-old passenger has intensified concern over the severity of the crash, which left multiple people injured and briefly shut down a major road in Perth’s north.
