A 26-year-old tourist has died in a horror bus crash while enjoying a dream holiday down under.
Serena Andreatta died in hospital from injuries sustained in the crash
The Argentine-Italian tourist was one of 30 people on board the FlixBus coach when it rolled off Bruce Highway last Thursday (14 May).
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The coach was carrying out a service from Cairns to Airlie Beach when it crashed near Gumlu in Queensland, Australia.
Nineteen other injured passengers, consisting mainly of foreign nationals and British backpackers, were triaged and rushed to medical facilities across Bowen, Ayr, and Townsville.
Serena arrived in Australia on 17 April after six months in Southeast-Asia.
She spent time in Vietnam and Thailand’s Koh Tao island, where she completed a Dive Master certification, as reported by Need To Know.
The victim, who came from Rosario in Argentina’s Santa Fe province, emigrated to Italy a few years ago and worked as a waitress and hotel receptionist in Lombardy.
She then built her own remote business advising Argentines on obtaining Italian citizenship.
Passionate about travel, she had visited Europe, the US, India and beyond, sharing her adventures on social media.
She was travelling with her friend Valentina Accardi, who suffered serious injuries and was hospitalised in Townsville.
Two other passengers had life-threatening injuries; the remainder were treated and mostly discharged.
The 70-year-old driver, from Mackay, sustained minor injuries in the crash.
FlixBus stated he was not speeding and tested negative for alcohol and drugs, although Queensland Police have not yet confirmed these details.
State premier David Crisafulli said: “Someone in the prime of their life, on the trip of a lifetime, in another country, has lost their life.
“You’ve got young people in many cases living out their dream in a foreign country.”
He and Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg highlighted long-standing safety concerns about Bruce Highway, which has seen multiple serious crashes, including a fatal Greyhound incident in 2024.
Crisafulli said the road “is not up to scratch”.
Queensland Police superintendent Dean Cavanagh described the scene as complex, with many foreign passengers, and confirmed the forensic crash unit is investigating.
One survivor, Erica Chindamo, recounted searching for Serena, who was seated nearby and “not moving”.
She praised the driver as kind, but questioned whether he should have been driving such a long route alone.
FlixBus expressed profound sadness and is assisting authorities and affected families.
The incident remains under investigation.
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