A tour bus carrying 54 people returning from Niagara Falls crashed on Interstate-90 near Pembroke, New York, about 40 kilometers west of Buffalo. The bus flipped over and came to rest on the highway shoulder. Five people were ejected and died at the scene. Passengers ranged in age from one to 74 years old, and many passengers were Indian, Chinese and Filipino. Police said mechanical failure and operator impairment were ruled out; initial investigations indicate the driver became distracted, lost control and over-corrected. At least six medevac helicopters responded and the highway was closed in both directions.
"Tragically, multiple people were ejected from the bus, with five people deceased at the scene," New York State Police troop commander Andre Ray told reporters. Describing the incident as "an absolute tragedy," Ray said the passengers on board ranged from one to 74 years old. Earlier, police spokesperson James O'Callaghan had said that most of the 52 passengers were Indian, Chinese and Filipino.
Police commander Ray said that the cause of the crash was still under investigation. But "mechanical failure as well as operator impairment have been ruled out," he said. The police commander explained that initial investigations indicated that the driver "became distracted, lost control, and over-corrected." "The driver has been cooperative, and with the investigation still underway, no charges have been filed at this point," Ray said.
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