All five people killed in a tour bus crash in upstate New York on Friday afternoon have been identified, authorities said Saturday.
The victims include a Columbia University student, three New Jersey residents and one Indian national, according to New York State Police.
They were identified as 22-year-old Xie Hongzhuo, a Columbia student originally from Beijing, China; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, and Jian Mingli, 56, both of Jersey City; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, N.J.; and Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, of Madhubani, India.
The 2005 Van Hool bus was traveling back from Niagara Falls to New York City on Interstate 90 when it rolled over after hitting a median and wound up in a ditch on the side of the road.
The collision — which occurred just before 1 p.m., between exits 48A and 49 in the town of Pembroke — ejected several of the 54 occupants, while others were trapped inside.
The driver, 55-year-old Bin Shao, of Queens, N.Y., was “alive and well,” New York State Trooper James O’Callaghan said on Friday.
On Saturday, officials confirmed Shao showed no signs of impairment at the time of the crash.
The bus was traveling at full speed, but no mechanical failures have been reported.
No other vehicles were affected, troopers said.
Dozens of victims were taken to nearby hospitals with injuries ranging from head trauma to broken arms and legs.
No charges had been filed as of Saturday afternoon.
M&Y Tour Inc., the Staten Island-based company that operates the bus, has been cooperating with investigators.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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