The small down of Wawayanda in Orange County, New York, turned from an idyllic sort of spot in the Hudson Valley to a scene of unspeakable tragedy when a charter bus carrying high school kids to a band camp plunged over the edge of Interstate 84 and overturned while hurtling down the highway’s embankment.
According to WNBC-TV, which reported on the tragedy, the horrific early-afternoon accident led to the deaths fo two individuals and the injury of dozens of others on the bus. The footage of the incident shows how the accident turned into such a tragedy, as the bus was left lying on its side with a warped roof and battered sides.
Reporting on the accident, WAMC noted that the bus at issue was one of six in a convoy that was shuttling students from Long Island’s Farmingdale High School up to Greeley, Pennsylvania, where they were to attend a band camp.
Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke about the incident in a Thursday night press conference, saying, “Today was a day of terror. No one could’ve foreseen what these 40 students and four adults would’ve experienced, but certainly there are families grieving today.”
Governor Hochul also thanked the first responders involved, saying, “We are grateful for the first responders whose speedy action saved lives and we will continue to support them however necessary. Our hearts are with all who are impacted by this horrific situation.”
Speaking in a similar press conference on the day of the tragedy, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said, “Our hearts go out to all of the families of Farmingdale High School and our condolences to all those who passed today.”
One young man on the bus, a 15-year-old student, said that he was sleeping when the accident occured but woke up when he felt a thud, then felt the bus begin to tip over as he started to tumble and struggled to understand what was happening, Describing what happened next, he said, according to NY Post, “Then everyone was yelling. The kid next to me was covered in blood. I saw blood everywhere.”
Anthony’s father, commenting what injuries Anthony suffered as a result, WAMC further reported, “He said he is really sore. He’s got a big bump on his leg. He’s got blood on his pants from somebody else. The person next to him was covered in blood.”
Howitt Middle School teacher Donna Baltch, whose niece was on one of the five buses not involved in the accident, further stated, as reported on NY Post, “It’s terrifying. These kids go on a trip to have fun, this is something that they look forward to all year, and these poor teachers, these chaperones, I’m hearing mixed things, we don’t know if they’re okay. Right now, we are just praying and hoping that they’re okay.”
The bad camp to which the students were headed when the accident occurred told the New York Times, “Our hearts go out to the families affected by this terrible accident. Farmingdale High School Band has been a wonderful and welcomed group that has rented our camp for many years.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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