Deadly Bus Crash on NY State Thruway Leaves Five Dead, Dozens Injured; Investigation Ongoing
A tragic incident occurred on Friday afternoon when a tour bus carrying 52 passengers en route from Niagara Falls to New York City rolled over and crashed into a ditch on the New York State Thruway. The accident, which took place near Pembroke, east of Buffalo, left five individuals dead and dozens more injured.
The victims ranged in age from 1 to 74 years old, with no children among the fatalities. Initially, state police believed there was one child fatality, but further investigations revealed no such loss.
The accident occurred around 12:20 p.m., and officials believe that most passengers were not wearing seat belts, as multiple individuals were ejected from the heavily damaged bus. Rescue efforts for trapped passengers continued through the afternoon.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but authorities have ruled out mechanical failure and operator impairment or intoxication. Major Andre J. Ray, a New York State Police troop commander, stated that the operator may have become distracted, lost control, overcorrected, and ended up on the right shoulder of the road. No charges have been filed as of yet, but it is too early to say whether any will be.
At least 30 people were taken to two regional hospitals with a range of injuries from critical to minor, including head and internal injuries, broken bones, and other injuries. Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo received 24 patients, the majority of the victims, with 20 currently receiving active treatment. Six victims were transported to the University of Rochester Medical Center, where two are being treated for critical injuries, four are medically stable, and one pediatric patient is included among them.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, but authorities have a “good idea” of what led to the bus rolling over after losing control without offering further details. The bus was traveling at full speed and did not collide with any other vehicles, but it lost control on the median.
Helicopters, ambulances, and law enforcement responded to the crash site, where the overturned bus was seen surrounded by people. Translators assisted police at the scene due to most passengers being of Indian, Chinese, or Filipino origin. A list of passengers provided by the bus company confirmed there were 54 people on board, including the driver and another tour company employee.
Several witnesses reported observing the bus lose control, enter the median, then cross to the southern shoulder and overturn. The state’s department of transportation is assisting in getting stranded individuals off the interstate due to the incident. The westbound lanes of the Thruway have been reopened to traffic, while the eastbound lanes remain closed near the crash site.
The driver is “alive and well” and is cooperating with authorities. Some victims were transported to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul described the crash as “tragic” and expressed that first responders are working diligently to rescue and provide assistance to everyone involved.
CNN has reached out to the US embassies for comments from the Philippines, China, and India regarding the incident. This story will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.