A devastating accident transpired on Friday afternoon when a tour bus, heading towards New York City, lost control and rolled into a ditch on Interstate 90 in Pembroke, New York. The mishap claimed the lives of five passengers, possibly including a minor, and left numerous others injured, as per local law enforcement.
The bus, owned by M&Y Tour Inc, was transporting 54 passengers when it lost control around 12:30 p.m. The vehicle swerved off the road into the median, then abruptly corrected its course, causing it to overturn and roll off the south embankment of the interstate. This led to a frantic rescue operation as up to 24 victims were trapped in the wreckage.
State police reported multiple entrapments and injuries, with the death toll eventually rising to five by Friday night. The cause behind the loss of control remains a mystery. The bus swerved into the median, overcorrected, and ended up in the ditch, according to State Trooper James O’Callaghan.
The identities of the victims have not been released yet. However, authorities suspect that at least one child was among the deceased. The injured were airlifted from the crash site to Buffalo-area hospitals by The Mercy Flight medical transport service and three other medical transport services, with as many as six medevac helicopter flights being conducted.
Erie County Medical Center treated 24 patients, most of whom were victims of the crash. Two individuals who required surgeries are expected to recover, according to Dr. Jeffrey Brewer, chief of surgery at the medical center. Kaleida Health reported treating 20 patients across three hospitals, including five children.
The bus was heading eastbound on the interstate when it crashed, ejecting some passengers through the windows as it rolled into the ditch. Injuries ranged from broken limbs to severe head trauma. Most passengers were likely not wearing seat belts, leading to the high number of ejections, O’Callaghan noted.
The driver survived the crash and was cooperating with authorities in their investigation. There were no signs of impairment, officials reported. The majority of the passengers on the bus were of Indian, Chinese, and Filipino descent.
The accident scene was described as chaotic, with glass and personal belongings scattered across the road. A section of the interstate was closed to clear the scene. Governor Hochul expressed condolences to the victims’ families, confirming the loss of five lives in the accident. The investigation into the tragic incident is ongoing.
M&Y Tour Inc, the operator of the bus, is based in Staten Island. Attempts to reach the company for a comment were unsuccessful.