Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic talked on the telephone with his Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki following a bus crash in northern Croatia on Saturday in which 12 Polish nationals were killed, extending his condolences to the victims' families.

Twelve people were killed and more than 40 were injured in the accident, which occurred at 5.40 am on Saturday on the A4 highway in the direction of Zagreb when a bus with Polish licence plates, carrying pilgrims to the Marian shrine of Međugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, skidded off the road on the highway section between Jarek Bisaski and Podvorec, in Varazdin County.

“I have extended my condolences to the victims’ families on behalf of the Government and informed the Polish prime minister that competent services are on the ground and that the injured passengers are being treated,” Plenkovic said in a Twitter post.

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman also extended condolences to his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau following the accident.

He said in a Twitter post that during his conversation with Rau he expressed hope for a speedy recovery of the injured passengers, noting that the competent services were providing them with all the necessary help.

“The Croatian people stands in solidarity with Poland and its citizens,” Grlic-Radman said.