Eight foreign nationals were killed and two others injured in two separate but connected traffic accidents on Hungary’s M1 motorway early Friday morning, authorities said.

The first accident occurred at the 114-kilometer mark of the M1 motorway near the village of Hegyeshalom, close to the Austrian border. A truck collided with a road maintenance machine, caught fire, and killed the truck driver at the scene, according to police in Győr-Moson-Sopron County.

Shortly afterward, a minibus carrying nine people slammed into a truck that had stopped due to traffic congestion caused by the initial crash. Seven passengers in the minibus were killed instantly, while two others sustained injuries.

All eight fatalities were foreign nationals. The nationalities of the victims have not yet been publicly released by authorities.

The M1 motorway, a major route connecting Budapest with Vienna, was closed in both directions following the accidents as police conducted an investigation. Traffic was diverted to alternative routes.

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar expressed his condolences on social media, writing: “My deepest condolences to the families of the eight foreign nationals who lost their lives in this morning’s tragic accidents near Győr. I wish the injured a swift and full recovery.”

Police have not yet released further details about the causes of the crashes or the identities of those involved. Investigations into both incidents are ongoing. (ILKHA)