A tragic tour bus accident occurred in upstate New York on Friday, claiming the lives of five people and leaving dozens more injured, some trapped or ejected from the vehicle, authorities said. The bus, returning from a trip to Niagara Falls with 54 people aboard, overturned along Interstate 90 in Pembroke, near Buffalo, according to New York State Police.

Trooper James O’Callaghan explained during a press briefing that the eastbound bus lost control, veered into the median, over-corrected, and ended up in a ditch. Maj. Andre Ray, commander of the New York State Police Troop T, said multiple passengers were thrown around the bus or ejected upon overturning.

The five adults who died at the scene were later identified as Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, of Madhu Bani, India; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, New Jersey; Xie Hongzhuo, 22, of Beijing, China, a Columbia University student; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, of Jersey City, New Jersey; and Jian Mingli, 56, also of Jersey City. Nearly all other passengers sustained injuries ranging from cuts and abrasions to head trauma and fractures.

Medical personnel transported victims to Erie County Medical Center, Strong Memorial Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban, and UMMR in Batavia. Mercy Flight teams, EMS personnel, and first responders worked on-site to provide urgent care. Hospitals reported that while many patients are recovering, a few remain in serious condition.

Investigators have yet to determine the definitive cause of the crash. Officials said the bus operator, 55-year-old Bin Shao of Flushing, New York, showed no signs of impairment, and no mechanical failures were detected. It is believed distraction and overcorrection led the bus to veer off the road. The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a “go-team” to assist with the investigation.

Initial reports mistakenly suggested a child was among the deceased and that a semi-truck was involved; authorities later confirmed the bus was the sole vehicle and no children died. Passengers ranged in age from 1 to 74, primarily of Indian, Chinese, and Filipino descent. The bus was operated by M & Y Tour, Inc., based in Staten Island, New York.

In the aftermath, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences and noted that state and local officials were coordinating rescue and recovery efforts. All eastbound lanes on I-90 at Pembroke were closed following the accident, causing traffic delays, while westbound lanes have reopened. Emergency responders and the Red Cross arranged temporary accommodations for discharged patients at a senior center in Amherst, New York.