THE Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday said there are no Filipino fatalities in the recent crash of a tourist bus in New York City that killed at least five persons and injured several others.
According to reports, the Van Wool Bus and Coach tourist bus, owned by M&Y Tour Inc. in New York, was returning from Niagara Falls when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which flipped on its side and crashed. There were 54 passengers on board.
Niagara Falls is a major tourist destination on the US-Canada border.
“New York State Police confirmed that all passengers in the bus have been identified and their next-of-kin have been notified. No Filipino among the fatalities,” the DFA said in a statement.
However, it said that there were Filipinos among those injured.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered continuous monitoring of the situation in New York, including providing immediate aid to Filipinos who may be affected by a tourist bus crash that killed at least five persons and injured several others,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said yesterday.
But the DFA did not say how many Filipinos were injured in the said accident, as well as the kind of injuries they suffered.
“The Consulate General of the Philippines in New York is monitoring developments on a tourist bus accident along New York’s I-90 highway. New York State Police have reported that several of the casualties are Filipino nationals,” DFA Spokesperson Angelica Escalona said on Saturday.
Escalona declined to reveal the identities of the casualties due to privacy concerns and said that the consulate will be “reaching out” to the families of the victims directly.
According to Escalona, victims of the accident or their next-of-kin may reach the consulate through the Assistance-to-Nationals Hotline (917) 294-0196.
