Fatal Tour Bus Crash in New York Claims Five Lives, Including Columbia University Student

First responders were engaged in rescue operations following a serious accident involving a tour bus that overturned on the New York State Thruway close to Pembroke on Friday. According to local authorities, five lives were lost in the crash, including that of a Columbia University student, Xie Hongzhuo, who was 22 years old and originally from Beijing, China.

The New York State Police identified the victims, which also included Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, from India; Pinki Changrani, 60, from East Brunswick, New Jersey; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, and Jian Mingli, 56, both from Jersey City, New Jersey. In a heartfelt statement, Columbia University expressed their sorrow at the loss of Xie Hongzhuo, and emphasized how this tragic incident has affected the entire university community. They have assured that counseling services are available for students and are in close communication with Xie's family to provide support.

The ill-fated tour bus was reported to be traveling from Niagara Falls to New York City when it suddenly lost control around 12:45 PM, leading to the accident on the parkway near Buffalo. The bus was carrying 54 passengers, including the driver and a tour guide, and authorities revealed that some individuals were thrown from the vehicle or became trapped beneath it during the incident. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash are ongoing, with confirmation that no other vehicles were involved.