The tour bus, carrying 54 passengers, was returning to New York City from Niagara Falls when it crashed and rolled onto its side
The five victims of a tragic tour bus crash in western New York have been identified. Among them are foreign nationals and a Columbia University student.
The other victims hailed from China, three were residents of New Jersey, and one person traveled from India, authorities confirmed on Saturday.
The victims were identified as Columbia student Xie Hongzhuo, 22, from Beijing, China; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, and Jian Mingli, 56, both from Jersey City; Pinki Changrani, 60, from East Brunswick, New Jersey; and Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, from Madhu Bani, India. All tragically lost their lives in the incident that occurred on Friday, according to state police.
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The fatal accident took place near Exit 48A east on I-90 on Friday. The tour bus, carrying 54 passengers, was returning to New York City from Niagara Falls when it crashed and rolled onto its side on an interstate highway.
The passengers on the bus ranged from ages 1 to 74.
State police Maj. Andre Ray revealed at an evening news conference that the driver seemed to have become distracted, losing control of the vehicle and overcorrecting. This led to the bus veering into the right shoulder and flipping over as the bus was approximately 25 miles east of Buffalo.
The cause of the driver’s distraction, which led to the accident, is still under investigation, according to authorities.
Several individuals were thrown from the bus during the crash, and five adults were declared dead at the scene. Many others were trapped in the wreckage and had to be rescued, with dozens being transported to local hospitals. However, it seems that none of the injuries are life-threatening.
“An absolute tragedy took place,” said the spokesperson. “And first and foremost, our thoughts, prayers and hearts go out to those involved, their friends and their families.”
Preliminary investigations have ruled out mechanical failure or driver impairment as causes for the crash. The driver survived the incident and is cooperating with the police.
As of Friday evening, no charges had been filed.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced that it will be sending a team to New York to investigate the crash.
Mercy Flight medical transport service reported that its three helicopters, along with three more from other services, transported people from the crash site. Hospitals in the region treated or evaluated over 40 people, with injuries ranging from head trauma to broken arms and legs.
M&Y Tour boasts a “satisfactory” safety rating with zero accidents or fatalities recorded over the past two years, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Authorities conducted 60 inspections of the company’s buses and drivers during that same timeframe, The Associated Press reported.
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