Rollover crash involving tour bus on the New York Thruway leaves several injured

PEMBROKE, N.Y. (AP) — A crash Friday involving a tour bus on an interstate highway in upstate New York has left several people injured, authorities said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash on I-90 near Pembroke, which is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Buffalo. Photos taken by bystanders at the scene showed a bus rolled over on its side, just off the highway. Several ambulances and medical helicopters were transporting patients.

The Mercy Flight air medical transport service said its three helicopters were transporting patients from the crash site to area hospitals and returning to the scene. As of the early afternoon, it said it had brought two adults to hospitals and two children to a children’s medical center in Buffalo.

Three other helicopters from other services were being called to the scene, as well as ambulances from multiple area agencies, Mercy Flight president Margaret Ferrentino said.

“It’s a very active scene,” Ferrentino said. “At this time we’re praying for the victims.”

There was no official word on how many people were injured. State police said they were responding to the crash.

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.