New York Bus Crash Updates:  A tour bus traveling with 54 passengers from Niagara Falls to New York City flipped on Interstate 90 outside Buffalo on Friday afternoon, killing five people, including an Indian national hailing from Bihar, and injuring dozens more, according to the New York State Police.

New York State Police confirmed 65-year-old Shankar Kumar Jha of Bihar, India, was among the five fatalities in the accident. The remaining victims have been identified as 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 from Jersey City. Police reported the majority of passengers on board were of Indian, Chinese, or Filipino descent, mostly tourists who had been visiting Niagara Falls. The passengers spanned in age from one year old to 74.

How The Accident Occurred?

Families and senior citizens, who were the majority of the passengers, were returning to New York City from a visit to Niagara Falls when the short weekend outing became a disaster. The accident occurred at about 12:22 pm (local time) near Pembroke, 30 miles east of Buffalo. Initial investigations indicated that the bus, driven by M&Y Tour Inc. of Staten Island, lost traction, swerved into the median, and rolled down an embankment before overturning. State Police Trooper James O'Callaghan explained that the bus was "extremely damaged" and that most of the passengers were ejected during the accident. He further explained that all the passengers had some kind of injury, from cuts and bruises to fractures.

Five passengers were killed at the scene, and several others are still hospitalised, State Police Troop T Commander Maj. Andre Ray said. Fortunately, no survivors have been left in a life-threatening condition. Authorities initially suspected a child was killed, but later confirmed all victims were adults. The bus driver survived and is in stable condition.

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Police have eliminated both driver impairment and mechanical failure as causes of the accident. The driver tested negative for alcohol and drugs, police added. The accident had resulted in a total shutdown of the New York State Thruway, leading to major traffic congestion. Westbound traffic was reopened at about 5 pm, while eastbound lanes were closed until around 8:30 pm on Friday evening. New York Governor Kathy Hochul made a statement on X, which was previously Twitter. "I have been briefed on the sad tour bus accident outside Buffalo. My office is working closely with State Police and emergency services to aid victims and their families," Hochul said.

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The accident has again brought into focus tour bus safety regulations in the United States, specifically seat belt enforcement. An earlier charter bus accident in New York in 2023 prompted renewed demands for stricter adherence to safety legislation.