Friday afternoon, August 22, 2025, a journey that began with the awe-inspiring views of Niagara Falls ended in heartbreak on Interstate 90 in Pembroke, New York. A 2005 Van Hool bus, operated by M&Y Tour Inc. of Staten Island, was carrying 54 passengers—tourists from diverse corners of the world, ranging in age from 1 to 74—back to New York City. What should have been a joyful return turned into a scene of chaos and sorrow when the bus veered off course, flipped, and rolled into a ditch, claiming five lives and leaving dozens injured in a tragedy that has shaken communities near and far.
The crash unfolded just before 12:30 p.m. on the eastbound lanes of I-90, near Exit 48A, roughly 25 miles east of Buffalo. According to New York State Police, the bus, traveling at full speed, lost control for reasons yet to be fully determined. Trooper James O’Callaghan described the harrowing sequence: the vehicle swerved into the median, overcorrected, and careened onto the southern shoulder, where it overturned with devastating force. Windows shattered, belongings scattered across the highway, and passengers were thrown from the bus or trapped beneath its wreckage. The scene was one of unimaginable horror, with glass and debris littering the road as first responders raced against time.
Five passengers perished in the crash, their lives cut short in an instant. Authorities have identified them as Shankar Kumar Jha, a 65-year-old from Madhu Bani, India, whose journey to see Niagara Falls ended far from home; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, New Jersey, a life taken too soon; Xie Hongzhuo, a 22-year-old Columbia University student from Beijing, China, with dreams left unfulfilled; and Zhang Xiaolan, 55, and Jian Mingli, 56, both of Jersey City, New Jersey, whose stories were woven into the fabric of their community. Their loss has left families and friends grappling with grief, their memories now cherished by those who loved them.
The bus carried a diverse group, many of whom were Indian, Chinese, or Filipino, adding a layer of complexity to the response as language barriers necessitated translators at the scene and hospitals. Most passengers were not wearing seatbelts, a factor that likely contributed to the high number of ejections and injuries. Of the 54 people on board, including the driver and another employee, every single person suffered some level of injury. Emergency services sprang into action, with eight Mercy Flight helicopters and 17 ground EMS units transporting 19 patients to local hospitals. Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) in Buffalo received 21 patients, with seven discharged by Friday evening. Two patients underwent surgery, two were admitted to the trauma ICU, and the rest remained stable or were discharged by Saturday. Other hospitals, including Buffalo General, Millard Fillmore Suburban, Oishei Children’s Hospital, and Strong Memorial in Rochester, also treated victims, with injuries ranging from head trauma and broken bones to minor cuts.
The driver, 55-year-old Bin Shao of Flushing, New York, survived the crash and has been cooperative with authorities. Preliminary investigations suggest he became distracted, though the exact cause remains under scrutiny by the New York State Police and the National Transportation Safety Board, which dispatched investigators to the scene. Mechanical failure and impairment have been ruled out, leaving questions about what led to the catastrophic loss of control. No charges have been filed as the investigation continues, with police appealing for dash cam footage or witness accounts to piece together the events.
The crash brought Interstate 90 to a standstill, with both eastbound and westbound lanes closed for hours as rescue operations unfolded. Cranes were deployed to upright the mangled bus, which was later towed to a state police barracks for further examination. Westbound lanes reopened by Friday evening, but eastbound traffic remained disrupted, with drivers urged to seek alternate routes. The American Red Cross stepped in to support victims’ families, establishing a Family Assistance Center in Buffalo and providing temporary accommodations, meals, and emotional care. ConnectLife issued an urgent call for blood donations to aid those fighting for their lives.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the incident a “tragic tour bus accident,” coordinating closely with state police and local officials to ensure a robust response. Public figures, including Representative Elise Stefanik, Attorney General Letitia James, and Senator Chuck Schumer, expressed their condolences, praising the bravery of first responders who risked everything to save lives. The community of Pembroke, a quiet town unaccustomed to such devastation, was left reeling, with witnesses describing a heart-wrenching scene of survivors embracing amidst the wreckage.
As the investigation presses on, the tragedy has sparked renewed conversations about bus safety and passenger protection. M&Y Tour Inc., which holds a “satisfactory” safety rating from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, had no recorded accidents in the past two years. Yet, the absence of seatbelt use by most passengers underscores a critical issue, especially as New York law mandates seatbelt use on charter buses built after November 2016—a regulation that did not apply to this older vehicle. The nation watches as authorities seek answers, hoping to prevent such a calamity from striking again.
For now, the focus remains on healing and remembrance. The lives of Shankar, Pinki, Xie, Zhang, and Jian—each unique, each irreplaceable—stand as a somber reminder of the fragility of life and the bonds that tie us together, even in the face of unimaginable loss.