A tragic accident occurred near Wayayanda, New York in Orange County on Thursday afternoon when a charter bus, part of a caravan of six buses traveling to Greeley, Pennsylvania for a band camp, veered off the road and plunged down a 50-foot ravine.
Two adults died and dozens of others were injured.
The victims were identified as Gina Pellettiere, 43, the high school’s band director from Massapequa, and Beatrice Ferrari, 77, a retired teacher from Farmingdale, according to PIX 11.
From CBS New York:
WAWAYANDA, N.Y. — Two adults are dead after a charter bus carrying high school band members from Long Island overturned on Interstate 84 in Orange County on Thursday near the town of Wawayanda, about two hours northwest of New York City.
The bus was one of six carrying the Farmingdale High School marching band and their chaperones. The band — roughly 300 students in total — were all headed to band camp in Greeley, Pennsylvania — a beloved tradition for the band. One of the six buses went through the wire barrier, down a 50-foot ravine and overturned.
It happened at around 1:12 p.m., just 40 minutes to their destination.
Authorities held a news conference on the crash Thursday evening. We brought that to you live on CBS News New York.
A preliminary assessment suggests that a front tire failure may have been a contributing factor in the accident, although a thorough investigation is still ongoing.
According to information from the New York Department of Transportation, the bus driver was properly licensed, and the bus company had all the necessary documentation and filings in compliance with department regulations.
Watch the report from CBS Evening News:
