Tour bus rollover kills 5 on interstate highway in western New York
New York (AP): A tour bus returning to New York City from Niagara Falls with 54 people, including Indians, aboard crashed and rolled on its side on an interstate highway, killing five passengers and injuring many others, authorities have said.
The driver apparently became distracted, lost control and overcorrected before the bus went into the right shoulder and flipped over shortly before 12:30 pm on the eastbound side of Interstate 90 in Pembroke, New York, about 40 km east of Buffalo, state police Maj Andre Ray said at an evening news conference on Friday.
He did not say how the driver became distracted, adding that the cause remains under investigation.
Ray said the passengers ranged in age from 1 to 74. Multiple people were ejected from the bus during the crash, and five people — all adults — were pronounced dead at the scene, Ray said.
Many others became entrapped in the wreck and were rescued. Dozens were taken to hospitals. Ray said it didn't appear any other people had life-threatening injuries.
“An absolute tragedy took place,” Ray said. “And first and foremost, our thoughts, prayers and hearts go out to those involved, their friends and their families.”
State police said most of the passengers on the bus were of Indian, Chinese and Filipino ethnicity, and authorities brought in translators to help with the emergency response.
Ray said a preliminary investigation ruled out mechanical failure or driver impairment. The driver survived the crash and was cooperating with police, officials said. No charges had been filed as of Friday evening, Ray said.
The Mercy Flight medical transport service said its three helicopters and three more from other services transported people from the crash site. Hospitals in the region said they evaluated or treated more than 40 people. Injuries ranged from head trauma to broken arms and legs.
Two people who needed surgery at Erie County Medical Centre in Buffalo were expected to recover, said Dr Jeffrey Brewer, chief of surgery.
State police said the bus was owned by M&Y Tour Inc in the New York City borough of Staten Island. A message seeking comment was left at a phone listing for the company.
At an earlier news conference, Trooper James O'Callaghan said it appeared most people on the bus were not wearing seat belts.
In response to another bus crash in New York in 2023, a state law requires seat belt use on charter buses built on or after Nov 28, 2016. The age of the bus in Friday's crash wasn't immediately known.
The New York State Thruway Authority said a lengthy stretch of the roadway had been shut down in both directions and drivers were being urged to avoid the area. The westbound lanes were reopened later in the day.
“There was glass all over the road and people's stuff all over the road,” Powell Stephens of Medina told The Buffalo News after he drove by the crash. “Windows were all shattered”.
New York Gov Kathy Hochul said on the social platform X that she was briefed on the "tragic tour bus accident” and that her office was working with police and local officials.
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Dermatologist booked over 'toxic' claims against Nandini products, KMF denies allegations
Bengaluru (PTI): A complaint has been lodged against a city-based dermatologist for allegedly spreading misinformation about Nandini milk products on social media and misleading the public, police said on Thursday.
The complaint was lodged by Padmavathi R, an officer of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), which owns the popular Nandini brand, seeking legal action against Dr Sharanya Padma.
In her complaint, Padmavathi stated that Padma had uploaded reels on February 8 claiming that "Nandini products such as cream bun, strawberry-flavoured milk and other beverages are toxic and contain chemicals, and consuming them daily could lead to autoimmune diseases and serious health issues. Long-term consumption will definitely result in cancer in the future."
According to the complaint, the doctor also alleged that strawberry-flavoured milk "does not contain natural strawberries but is prepared by adding artificial colours and preservatives," and questioned how the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had granted permission for the manufacture of such products.
She further claimed in the reel that consuming these products would damage health and that KMF, being a government company, was producing and marketing them for profit.
The complaint quoted her as stating that "these products are not real food but poisonous in nature and KMF should not release such products into the market."
Padmavathi stated that baseless allegations about certain Nandini brand products were being made on social media and that such "false propaganda" had created unnecessary confusion among crores of consumers who had grown up with the brand since childhood.
In a press release issued on February 18, KMF clarified that it strictly adheres to all food safety standards and approved procedures prescribed by statutory authorities and FSSAI. It assured that all Nandini milk and milk products are completely safe for consumption and that consumers need not panic.
The Federation also "strongly condemned such baseless, misleading and brand-defaming statements" and said it was committed to taking legal action against those involved in such malicious acts.
Based on the complaint, police are examining the matter and further action is likely in accordance with law.
There was no immediate reaction from Dr Padma.
