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The bus, which was filled with dozens of students and four adults, was on its way to a band camp event in Pennsylvania. (NBC New York/AP)
By Christina Maxouris, Holly Yan, Sarah Boxer and Caroll Alvarado, CNN
Middletown, New York (CNN) — As a grief-stricken high school mourns the loss of its marching band director and another woman described as the “heart and soul” of the program, federal investigators are trying to learn what caused the band’s bus to tumble down a ravine Thursday with 40 students onboard.
The National Transportation Safety Board and New York State Police are investigating the disaster in Wawayanda, New York – about 70 miles northwest of New York City. An NTSB team is expected to arrive at the scene of the crash Friday morning, the agency said.
The two adults killed were identified as Band Director Gina Pellettiere, 43, and Beatrice Ferrari, 77. As of Friday morning, five students were still hospitalized in critical condition, a New York State Police spokesperson said.
Preliminary information indicates a faulty front tire may have contributed to the crash on Interstate 84, authorities said Thursday evening. But a probe into the fatal accident is ongoing.
The bus – along with five others – was carrying students from Farmingdale High School on Long Island to a band camp event in Greeley, Pennsylvania, said the Farmingdale School District.
“It is difficult to express the sadness and grief that the Farmingdale School District and I feel over the tragic events that unfolded earlier and the horrific experience our students endured,” Superintendent Paul Defendini wrote in a statement to the community.
“We deeply mourn the passing of our inspiring faculty and Band Director, Gina (Pellettiere), and the heart and soul of our marching band program, Beatrice “Bea” (Ferrari).”
Pellettiere was a beloved marching band director who also served on the board of the Nassau Music Educators Association, the group posted on Facebook.
“Gina was the highly regarded and adored wind ensemble and marching band director at Farmingdale HS, and an active member of the music education community across our county, region and state,” the organization wrote.
“Her warm smile, infectious laugh, incredible story telling ability, passion for life and talent at her craft will be greatly missed by all who knew her personally and professionally.”
Farmingdale High School is open Friday, and the district has “arranged for counselors and support staff to be available for all students, faculty and staff,” the superintendent said.
The bus ‘tumbled down a 50-foot ravine’
The students onboard were members of the Farmingdale High School band who “had a weekend planned of fun and enjoying their musicianship,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said. “Unfortunately, the day ended in tragedy.”
Authorities responded to a call about a “rollover commercial bus accident” at about 1:12 p.m. Thursday, New York State Police Lt. Colonel Richard Mazzone said.
Forty students from Farmingdale High School and four adults were on board.
Several people were also injured, including five critically, Mazzone said. He did not elaborate on the injuries but said patients were taken to six area hospitals, he added.
The bus “literally tumbled down a 50-foot ravine,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. The large vehicle ended up on its side surrounded by trees, aerial images from CNN affiliates showed.
“Imagine the fear, the screams, and the aftermath, when these high school students, many of them freshmen, were surrounded by this chaos. But they endured, they were strong and within 45 minutes, because of the efforts of an incredible amount of team work, these young people and the adults were brought to safety.”
Fire and rescue departments responded to the scene, the governor said Thursday, “literally running in the danger, uncertain as to whether or not that bus could explode.”
The governor later thanked first responders “for the quick and heroic actions” at the scene, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter,
The Nassau County official also praised emergency crews for preventing more loss of life.
“If it wasn’t for (law enforcement and first responders) and all that they did, we would have lost more (people), and they wouldn’t have gotten the care as quickly as they did,” Blakeman said Thursday.
“The only advice I can give to anybody tonight is hug your children very tight. Life is very precious, and our kids started out today thinking they were going to have a wonderful weekend with their friends.”
The-CNN-Wire
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