Aussie tourist slams '$16 meal voucher' offer after deadly bus crash

An Australian woman who was involved in a fatal bus crash in Italy claims the company has done little to help the injured passengers, simply offering them a meal voucher "for the inconvenience".

Sinead Curry jumped on the FlixBus in Bologna, Italy with her partner on Sunday morning, but two hours into the journey the vehicle suddenly veered off the road.

"The bus hit something, we were all asleep, it went airborne and spun around a bunch of times," she said in a video filmed from a hospital bed in Italy. The tourist said passengers on board were "flung around like in a blender" before the bus eventually came to a stop on the other side of the road.

One dead, multiple injured in Italy bus crash

The incident occurred near the town of Avellino, approximately 50 kilometres east of the south-west city of Naples. The local fire and rescue department — Vigili del Fuoco — revealed five cars were also involved in the incident.

There were 38 people on board the bus, including three Australians, according to Ms Curry, of which 14 were injured. The department said a "lifeless body of a man was found". Local media also reported one fatality, according to the ABC.

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Sydney woman desperate for information

Ms Curry said she had been trying to contact the bus company following the incident to get information about what to do next, but each time she called the phone would "ring out". She needed to retrieve her luggage which was still on the bus and was eager to learn what she'd compensated for.

But the frustrated Sydney woman said there "wasn't much support from the company" and that she was unable to get through to them on the phone or online. The only correspondence she received was a text message offering her a A$16 (10 Euro) food voucher "for the inconvenience" caused.

"There are a bunch of people here who nearly died and we don't have any information. It's the only communication we got from them for 8.5 hours: 1 text," she said a few hours after the crash. "We want accommodation, clothing and food".

She told the ABC passengers on board "need to be offered adequate financial compensation for this near-fatal, permanently harmful traumatic event".

Bus company responds to passenger's claims

In a statement to ABC, Flixbus said "a support line and email" was provided to all passengers and their families following the incident and that an investigation into how the accident occurred is currently underway

"Outbound calls were made to passengers who had registered their mobile numbers, and emails were sent to passengers with instructions," the bus company said. "At all times, the safety of its passengers and drivers is of highest priority to FlixBus."

Ms Curry told ABC the only email she received from the company was to tell her that the helpline number was "suffering technical difficulties".

Ms Curry and some others were eventually transferred to Rome on an emergency shuttle bus where she will continue with her travels, she revealed on TikTok.

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