Indian National Among Five Fatalities in New York Tour Bus Crash Returning from Niagara Falls

A tour bus returning from Niagara Falls crashed near Buffalo, New York, resulting in five deaths, including an Indian national. The incident involved 54 passengers and occurred on Interstate 90.

A tragic accident involving a tour bus returning to New York City from Niagara Falls resulted in the deaths of at least five people, including an Indian national. The crash occurred on Interstate 90 near Buffalo, as reported by media outlets. The bus was carrying 54 passengers, including two employees from the bus company.

The deceased have been identified as Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, from Bihar; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, New Jersey; Xie Hongzhuo, 22, of Beijing, China; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, and Jian Mingli, 56, both from Jersey City, New Jersey. The incident happened at 12:22 pm local time on Friday.

Bus Crash Details and Response

According to New York State Police Trooper James OCallaghan, the bus was heading east when it lost control and veered into the median before over-correcting and landing in a ditch. The vehicle overturned and rolled off the I-90 on the south embankment. This led to the closure of the Thruway in both directions for several hours.

New York State Police Troop T Commander Maj. Andre Ray stated that multiple passengers were ejected or thrown around inside the bus during the crash. Five individuals were declared dead at the scene, while many others were hospitalised with injuries. Fortunately, none of the remaining patients were in life-threatening conditions.

Investigation and Passenger Details

The bus was operated by M&Y Tour Inc., based in Staten Island. Passengers ranged in age from 1 to 74 years old. Initially, there was concern that a child was among those killed, but this was later corrected. Investigators have ruled out mechanical failure and driver impairment as causes of the accident.

Trooper O’Callaghan noted that every passenger suffered some form of injury such as cuts or bruises. He described the bus as "extremely damaged" with many passengers ejected during the crash. The driver survived without serious injuries.

Official Statements and Road Closures

The crash forced a temporary closure of both eastbound and westbound lanes on Interstate 90. The eastbound lanes reopened around 8:30 pm, approximately eight hours after the incident, while westbound lanes resumed just after 5 pm.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences through a statement on X. She mentioned being briefed about the tragic accident and assured that her office was working closely with State Police and other agencies involved in responding to the situation.

This unfortunate event highlights the importance of road safety and thorough investigations to prevent future occurrences. Authorities continue to work diligently to understand all factors contributing to this devastating crash.

With inputs from PTI