A tour bus crash on the New York State Thruway in western New York has claimed five lives.
According to New York Police, the tourists were coming back from Niagara Falls on the US-Canada border to NYC when witnesses saw the bus lose control and roll on the ground.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said local officials "are working to rescue and provide assistance to everyone involved."
Ambulances and medical helicopters were sent to the crash site, near the town of Pembroke, 30 miles (48 km) east of the city of Buffalo.
The 52 people on board at the time of the crash were aged between one and 74, including multiple children.
Police have shared that most of the passengers were not wearing seatbelts, and some were thrown from the vehicle when it crashed, while others remained trapped inside the vehicle for several hours.
Andre Ray, New York State Police troop commander, told a press conference that the cause of the accident has not been unveiled as of now.
He added, "The operator has been cooperative and with the investigation still underway. No charges have been filed at this point."
The bus was heading eastbound and lost control, veering into the median and then into a ditch.
Twenty-four adult patients were admitted to one local hospital, with doctors assuring that they are expected to make a full recovery.
Other hospitals also received patients, and those under 16 who survived were taken to a children's hospital.
