Deadly Bus Crash on New York State Thruway Leaves 5 Dead, Dozens Injured Among Chinese and Filipino Tourists

Following an excursion to Niagara Falls, a tour group found themselves in a harrowing ordeal when their bus overturned on the New York State Thruway, approximately 40 miles east of the falls. The incident occurred near Pembroke, east of Buffalo.

The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle and swerved off the interstate, rolling it onto its side. The accident resulted in five fatalities and numerous injuries among the 52 passengers, with some individuals being ejected from the bus while others became trapped inside.

Among the deceased were Shankar Kumar Jha (65), Pinki Changrani (60), Xie Hongzhuo (22) of Beijing, China and a student at Columbia University, Zhang Xiaolan (55), and Jian Mingli (56), both residents of Jersey City, New Jersey.

Columbia University expressed its condolences to the family of Hongzhuo, stating that they were offering full support during this difficult time. The driver of the bus, identified as Bin Shao (55) of Flushing, New York, survived the crash.

The aftermath of the wreck left glass and personal belongings scattered on the highway, according to witnesses who spoke with CNN affiliate WHAM. Some described a distressing scene filled with people embracing each other and others visibly upset.

The passengers onboard ranged in age from 1 to 74 years old, with no children among the fatalities. The bus was traveling at full speed when it lost control and veered off the median.

First responders rushed to the scene, including ground and air ambulances, state and local police, as well as tow trucks and translators due to language barriers for many passengers who spoke little English. Some of the injured were transported by air to hospitals in the region.

At least 47 people were taken to various hospitals, with injuries ranging from critical to minor. The Mercy Flight medical transport service reported transporting victims from the crash site using three helicopters and additional resources from other services.

Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo revised their initial patient count down to 21, with seven already discharged by Friday evening. Two more patients are expected to be discharged on Saturday, with the remaining individuals in stable condition, including five in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit.

Six victims were transported to the University of Rochester Medical Center, with two being treated for critical injuries and four considered medically stable.

Kaleida Health received 20 patients, with four adults in good condition at Buffalo General Medical Center, 11 adults and two children at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, and three children – one in serious condition – at Oishei Children’s Hospital. Most of the patients were in good or fair condition, with at least one adult already discharged.

Additional patients were taken to United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, according to state police.

The Chinese Consulate General in New York confirmed that six Chinese nationals were on the bus, with five sustaining minor injuries and one suffering from serious injuries requiring surgery. The Philippine Consulate General in New York is providing assistance to any Filipino nationals affected by the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent a go-team to investigate the crash scene, working alongside state police and the state Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Compliance Bureau. The team aims to examine issues related to occupant protection, driver performance, operations, and oversight of the motor carrier.

A team of investigators specializing in human performance will analyze the driver’s qualifications and assess whether he was fatigued or distracted during the crash. The bus was equipped with a data recorder that will provide information on its speed before the accident, and investigators are interested in whether it also had dash camera footage and a GPS unit.

The NTSB will determine the extent to which the lack of seat belt use may have contributed to some passengers being ejected from the bus. New York State law requires seat belt usage on buses manufactured after 2016, but the tour bus involved in the crash was made in 2005, raising questions about the applicability of the law in this case.

The NTSB investigative team will be at the scene for four to six days, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days and final reports to follow in 12 to 24 months.

The tour bus was owned by M&Y Tour Inc., based in Staten Island. The company has no record of accidents or fatalities over the past two years and maintains a “satisfactory” safety rating, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The company’s buses and drivers were inspected 60 times during the same period, as reported by the agency.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences for the tragic event and praised the efforts of first responders in providing assistance to those involved.