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Most passengers on board were of Indian, Chinese, or Filipino origin, police said
The crash occurred around 12:22 pm (local time) in Pembroke
A tour bus carrying 54 passengers from Niagara Falls to New York City overturned on highway near Buffalo on Friday, leaving five people dead and dozens injured, according to New York State Police.
The crash occurred around 12:22 pm (local time) in Pembroke, about 30 miles east of Buffalo. Officials said the bus, operated by M&Y Tour Inc. of Staten Island, veered out of control, entered the median, overcorrected, and rolled down an embankment before overturning.
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The victims were identified as Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, of Bihar, India; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, New Jersey; Xie Hongzhuo, 22, of Beijing, China; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, of Jersey City, New Jersey; and Jian Mingli, 56, also of Jersey City, New Jersey, ABC News reported.
Most passengers on board were of Indian, Chinese, or Filipino origin, police said. The group included travellers ranging in age from 1 to 74 years old, along with two employees of the tour company.
“Every passenger suffered some kind of injury, whether a cut, bruise, or abrasion,” State Police Trooper James O’Callaghan told reporters.
He added that the bus was “extremely damaged,” with many passengers ejected during the crash.
Andre Ray of State Police Troop T confirmed that five people died at the scene. Several others remain hospitalised, though none are in critical condition.
Authorities initially feared a child was among the dead, but later clarified that all five victims were adults.
Investigators have ruled out both mechanical failure and driver impairment as potential causes. The driver survived and is in stable condition, police said.
The accident forced a full shutdown of the New York State Thruway. Westbound lanes reopened around 5 pm, while eastbound lanes remained closed until about 8:30 pm Friday night, according to The Buffalo News.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed condolences in a statement on X, noting she had been briefed on the “tragic tour bus accident” and that her office was working closely with State Police and emergency responders.
- Location :
New York, United States of America (USA)
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