65-Year-Old Indian Man Among Five Dead in New York Tour Bus Crash

A tragic bus accident on Interstate 90 near Buffalo claimed the lives of five individuals, including an Indian national. The was returning to New York City from Niagara Falls with 54 passengers when it crashed. The victims included Shankar Kumar Jha from Bihar and others from New Jersey and China, as reported by ABC News.

New York State Police Trooper James O'Callaghan explained that the bus lost control while travelling eastbound, veered into the median, over-corrected, and ended up in a ditch. The incident occurred at 12:22 pm local time on Friday. The crash resulted in the closure of the Thruway in both directions for several hours.

Investigation and Response

Authorities have ruled out mechanical failure and driver impairment as causes of the crash. The investigation continues to determine what led to this tragic event. New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences and stated that her office is working closely with state police and other agencies involved in the response.

According to Major Andre Ray of New York State Police Troop T, many passengers were ejected or thrown around when the bus overturned. Five people died at the scene, while others remain hospitalised. Fortunately, no one else is in a life-threatening condition.

Passenger Details

The bus was operated by M&Y Tour Inc., based in Staten Island, and carried passengers aged between 1 and 74 years old. Initial reports mistakenly included a child among the fatalities; however, this was later corrected. All passengers sustained some form of injury during the crash.

The accident left the bus severely damaged, with numerous passengers ejected upon impact. Despite this, the driver survived without life-threatening injuries. Authorities continue to investigate all aspects surrounding this unfortunate incident.

Impact on Traffic

The crash forced a temporary closure of Interstate 90's eastbound lanes until approximately 8:30 pm on Friday evening, about eight hours after the incident occurred. Westbound lanes reopened earlier at around 5 pm, according to The Buffalo News.