At least five died and a number of others were injured after a tour bus carrying 54 passengers, including Indian nationals, overturned on the New York State Thruway near Pembroke, about 40 km east of Buffalo, during the afternoon hours on Friday, police confirmed.

The chartered bus had been on a day trip to Niagara Falls, one of the busiest tourist hot spots along the US-Canada border, and was heading back to New York City. The bus swerved off the eastbound side of Interstate 90 just before 12:30 pm local time, overturned, and landed in a roadside ditch, officials said. State Police Major Andre Ray reported that preliminary investigation indicated that the driver became distracted, lost control, and overcorrected, and the vehicle rolled onto its side. "An absolute tragedy occurred.". Our thoughts go out to the families of the people who perished," he said.

Authorities confirmed that the majority of the passengers on board were of Indian, Chinese, and Filipino nationality. The ages of the victims varied from one year old to 74 years old. All five dead victims were adults. Some of the passengers were thrown through broken windows while the bus overturned. Translators were also sent to the crash site and the hospitals to help translate at the time of the rescue and medical services.

Rescue Operation Underway

The accident prompted a mass rescue operation, with eight medical helicopters and various ambulances flying in and driving in patients to a number of hospitals throughout western New York. Mercy Flight, a non-profit air ambulance service, deployed three of its helicopters and three of its regional counterparts were deployed in the operation. Erie County Medical Centre in Buffalo treated patients with severe injuries, such as head wounds and fractured bones. Two passengers who needed to be operated on were reported to be in stable condition and expected to recover.

State police confirmed that mechanical failure and driver intoxication were eliminated as factors in the cause of the accident. The driver, who survived the accident, is assisting investigators. No criminal charges have been made at this point. Trooper James O’Callaghan noted that many passengers were not wearing seat belts. Under New York law, seat belt use has been mandatory on charter buses manufactured after November 2016, though the model year of the bus involved in Friday’s accident has not yet been confirmed.

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Roadway Closed For Hours, Governor Responds

The New York State Thruway Authority closed an extensive section of the interstate in both directions to facilitate emergency response. Westbound traffic was reopened later in the evening, but eastbound traffic remained limited for hours. Governor Kathy Hochul offered condolences, stating her office was coordinating closely with state police and local officials. "I am devastated by this horrific tour bus accident. We are offering any assistance to those impacted," she wrote on X. US Senator Chuck Schumer also offered condolences to the families of victims and commended first responders for acting quickly.

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The bus was owned by M&Y Tour Inc., a Staten Island-based company, police said. The company could not be reached for comment. The accident has once again drawn attention to tour bus safety standards in the United States, particularly regarding seat belt enforcement. A similar charter bus crash in New York in 2023 led to renewed calls for stricter compliance with safety laws.