A collision near the eastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park resulted in seven fatalities and multiple injuries as a tour bus and a pickup truck collided on a busy highway.
Fatal Tour Bus Collision Claims Seven Lives Near Yellowstone National Park
Fatal Tour Bus Collision Claims Seven Lives Near Yellowstone National Park
Tragic accident involving a tour bus and truck near Yellowstone leaves several dead and many injured.
In a devastating incident late Thursday, seven people lost their lives, and eight others were injured when a tour bus carrying tourists collided with a Chevy pickup truck near Yellowstone National Park. The state police reported the crash occurred around 19:15 local time (02:15 GMT) on a highway known for its heavy traffic as it leads into one of America's most popular national parks.
Both the truck and the tour van caught fire upon impact, leading to a tragic scene as first responders and bystanders rushed to assist the victims. The driver of the truck, along with six passengers from the van, were confirmed dead at the scene. A local witness, Roger Merrill, recounted the chaos, describing smoke and flames as he hurried home, and noting the desperate efforts of bystanders trying to help those who survived.
Emergency teams worked tirelessly, closing the highway for seven hours to provide care to the injured and clear the wreckage approximately 16 miles from the park's entrance. Authorities have stated that the local coroner's office will disclose the identities of the deceased once relatives have been informed.
As the peak tourist season approaches, with Yellowstone drawing millions of visitors from May to September, safety on this busy highway has been called into question. Yellowstone National Park, the oldest national park in the United States, spans nearly 3,500 square miles across Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana and typically sees around four million tourists each year according to the National Park Service. The investigation into the crash's cause is ongoing.
