DFA: Filipinos Among Casualties In New York Bus Crash

MANILA—Several of the casualties were Filipinos in the tourist bus crash in New York, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.

The Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that the DFA, however, has not specified the number of Filipino casualties as the Philippine Consulate General in New York was monitoring developments on the ground.

“There was no further clarification from the New York State Police. But casualties can include those injured or killed,” DFA spokesperson Angelica Escalona said in text message. But she said the police reported that several casualties include Filipinos.

Five people were killed of the 54 passengers on board when the bus lost control and crashed into a ditch on New York's I-90 freeway, near Pembroke town, at around 12:30 p.m. (12:30 a.m. Saturday, PH time). The bus was returning to New York City from Niagara Falls in Canada, according to reports.

According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the bus driver apparently got "distracted, lost control and overcorrected before the bus went into the right shoulder and flipped over shortly before 12:30 p.m. on the eastbound side of Interstate 90 in Pembroke, New York, about 40 kilometres east of Buffalo."

However, authorities did not say how the driver became distracted.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation.

MANILA—Several of the casualties were Filipinos in the tourist bus crash in New York, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.

The Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that the DFA, however, has not specified the number of Filipino casualties as the Philippine Consulate General in New York was monitoring developments on the ground.

“There was no further clarification from the New York State Police. But casualties can include those injured or killed,” DFA spokesperson Angelica Escalona said in text message. But she said the police reported that several casualties include Filipinos.

Five people were killed of the 54 passengers on board when the bus lost control and crashed into a ditch on New York's I-90 freeway, near Pembroke town, at around 12:30 p.m. (12:30 a.m. Saturday, PH time). The bus was returning to New York City from Niagara Falls in Canada, according to reports.

The driver apparently became distracted, lost control and overcorrected before the bus went into the right shoulder and flipped over shortly before 12:30 p.m. on the eastbound side of Interstate 90 in Pembroke, New York, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Buffalo, state police Maj. Andre Ray said at an evening news conference. He did not say how the driver became distracted, adding that the cause remains under investigation.

According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the bus driver apparently got "distracted, lost control and overcorrected before the bus went into the right shoulder and flipped over shortly before 12:30 p.m. on the eastbound side of Interstate 90 in Pembroke, New York, about 40 kilometres eas of Buffalo."

However, authorities did not say how the driver became distracted.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation.

MANILA—Several of the casualties were Filipinos in the tourist bus crash in New York, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.

The Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that the DFA, however, has not specified the number of Filipino casualties as the Philippine Consulate General in New York was monitoring developments on the ground.

“There was no further clarification from the New York State Police. But casualties can include those injured or killed,” DFA spokesperson Angelica Escalona said in text message. But she said the police reported that several casualties include Filipinos.

Five people were killed of the 54 passengers on board when the bus lost control and crashed into a ditch on New York's I-90 freeway, near Pembroke town, at around 12:30 p.m. (12:30 a.m. Saturday, PH time). The bus was returning to New York City from Niagara Falls in Canada, according to reports.

The driver apparently became distracted, lost control and overcorrected before the bus went into the right shoulder and flipped over shortly before 12:30 p.m. on the eastbound side of Interstate 90 in Pembroke, New York, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Buffalo, state police Maj. Andre Ray said at an evening news conference. He did not say how the driver became distracted, adding that the cause remains under investigation.

According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the bus driver apparently got "distracted, lost control and overcorrected before the bus went into the right shoulder and flipped over shortly before 12:30 p.m. on the eastbound side of Interstate 90 in Pembroke, New York, about 40 kilometres eas of Buffalo."

However, authorities did not say how the driver became distracted.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation.

The driver survived the crash and was cooperating with the police.

With report from the Associated Press (AP)