Shankar Kumar Jha from Bihar and New Jersey resident Pinki Changrani among five victims in tragic accident
Two individuals of Indian descent were among the five people killed when a tour bus carrying 54 passengers crashed while returning to New York City from a trip to Niagara Falls, according to State Police, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
The accident occurred on Friday afternoon about 70 km from Niagara Falls and nearly 600 km from New York City when the bus driver reportedly lost control, causing the vehicle to veer into a divider before rolling into a ditch. Three other victims were of Chinese descent.
The deceased were identified as 65-year-old Shankar Kumar Jha, a visitor from Madhubani, Bihar, and 60-year-old Pinki Changrani, a resident of East Brunswick, New Jersey.
The tour group comprised international sightseers from India, China, the Philippines, and the US. Some passengers remain hospitalised in critical or stable condition, while others have been discharged after treatment. Several of the injured were airlifted by helicopter ambulances to nearby hospitals.
Authorities confirmed that the bus had no mechanical failure and the driver showed no signs of impairment. Investigators are examining whether distraction caused the loss of control. The bus was equipped with an event recording device, similar to an aircraft black box, which could provide vital clues about the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has joined the investigation to determine the cause of the fatal accident.
