Five Killed in Tour Bus Crash in Western New York
Five people were killed in a tour bus accident near Buffalo, New York, on Friday afternoon.
According to New York State Police, the victims included Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, of Madhu Bani, India; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, New Jersey; Xie Hongzhuo, 22, a Columbia University student from Beijing, China; and Jian Mingli, 56, and Zhang Xiaolan, 55, both of Jersey City, New Jersey.
Columbia University confirmed Xie's death, expressing deep sympathy and offering support to her family and friends.
The accident occurred around 12:45 p.m. when the bus, traveling from Niagara Falls to New York City, lost control on an interstate parkway and overturned. The bus was carrying 54 passengers, including the driver and a tour guide. Many occupants were ejected or trapped under the bus, with dozens hospitalized, including children.
As of Saturday afternoon, 21 passengers remained hospitalized at Erie County Medical Center, 14 in stable condition.
Authorities stated the driver, Bin Shao, 55, of Flushing, New York, appeared distracted and lost control, but showed no signs of impairment. The bus was traveling at full speed; however, the exact rate is unknown.
No charges have been filed against Shao, and the National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation. They seek witnesses and video footage of the incident.
The tour company, M&Y Tour Inc. of Staten Island, has not responded to requests for comment.