Serena Andreatta, who was living in Italy, was on a dream holiday in Australia when she was killed in a horrific bus crash in Queensland, with a further 19 people injured
A 26-year-old tourist who was “living her dream” has died with a further 19 injured after a horror bus crash in Australia.
Serena Andreatta, who was from Argentina but had emigrated to Italy, was one of 30 people on board the FlixBus coach when it rolled off Bruce Highway last Thursday.
The coach was carrying out a service from Cairns to Airlie Beach when it crashed near Gumlu in Queensland, Australia. Serena was taken to hospital but could not be saved despite the efforts of medics.
Nineteen other injured passengers, consisting mainly of foreign nationals and British backpackers, were triaged and rushed to medical facilities across Bowen, Ayr, and Townsville.
READ MORE: P&O Cruises reminds passengers of important rule or risk being ‘turned away’READ MORE: Belarus declares it is ‘preparing for nuclear attack’ in cooperation with Russia
Serena arrived in Australia on April 17 after six months in Southeast Asia. She spent time in Vietnam and Thailand’s Koh Tao island, where she completed a Dive Master certification.
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.
FlixBus expressed profound sadness and is assisting authorities and affected families.
The incident remains under investigation.
