7 dead and 8 injured! A惨烈 car accident involving a Chinese tour group, the entire vehicle burst into flames and was destroyed! The Chinese Consulate General confirmed: 13 Chinese citizens were injured or killed!
A heartbreaking tragedy!
On the evening of May 1st local time, a major traffic accident occurred near Yellowstone National Park, a popular tourist destination in the United States. A minibus carrying 14 people from a Chinese tour group collided head-on with a Dodge Ram pickup truck near Henry's Lake on Idaho State Highway 20. Both vehicles caught fire instantly, resulting in 7 deaths and 8 injuries.
Photo source: X
7 people died on the spot
The bodies of the victims were burned beyond recognition
According to local police, the driver of the pickup truck and six people inside the tour bus died instantly. According to知情 sources, all passengers on the bus were members of a Southern California Chinese tour group.
The identity of the pickup truck driver has been confirmed as Isaih Moreno, a 25-year-old man from Humble, Texas. Due to the intense fire, some of the victims' bodies were burned beyond recognition, and identity confirmation still requires time.
Brenda Dye, coroner of Fremont County, said that at least two of the other six victims were from Italy, while others may involve other nationalities. DNA testing is still ongoing.
Photo source: X
The Chinese Consulate General confirmed 13 Chinese casualties:
5 dead and 8 injured!
The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco confirmed to Xinhua News Agency on May 2nd that preliminary information shows that this accident has resulted in 5 Chinese citizens dead and 8 Chinese citizens injured.
According to Xinhua News Agency: "The consulate general expresses deep condolences for the deceased and sincere greetings to the injured and their families. The consulate general has contacted the families of the deceased and provided assistance."
It is currently unclear why there are discrepancies between the data announced by the Chinese side and the numbers previously provided by the Fremont County Coroner.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Photo source: X
According to Police Spokesperson Aaron Snell, the eight survivors were transported to three different hospitals for treatment. Two of them were airlifted to a hospital in Idaho Falls, another one was sent to a hospital in Bozeman, Montana, while the rest were taken to nearby hospitals. Their injuries are not expected to be life-threatening.
Currently, three people have been discharged after treatment.
Photo source: X
Witnesses recall "chaos at the scene"
Asian tourists take risks to rescue people from the fire
When the accident happened, 60-year-old witness Roger Merrill saw the two vehicles engulfed in flames, thick black smoke rolling, and several passersby trying to care for the survivors on the roadside, including many Asian tourists who were also travelers.
It is reported that two brave drivers jumped out of their cars, ran toward the burning wreckage, and tried to rescue passengers from the inferno, eventually successfully rescuing eight people, including one child. After all were rescued, the vehicles were completely consumed by the fire.
Photo source: X
Merrill recalled: "The fire was too intense, the scene was chaotic, and the whole scene was terrifying."
"This is a very dangerous road because it leads to the main entrance of Yellowstone National Park, and the traffic is extremely busy." Merrill said, "But the incident location is remote, and it took a long time for the rescue personnel to arrive, which was very unsettling."
Another witness, Chinese tourist Ms. Li, said she and her friends were on a self-drive tour when they witnessed the aftermath of the accident. She saw the minibus had been burned beyond recognition, only seeing the red pickup truck parked on the road.
Ms. Li described the incident site as a two-way single-lane road, "There weren't many cars, but most were speeding."
The video footage from the scene shows flames shooting up, thick smoke covering the area, both accident vehicles engulfed in a sea of fire, shocking to see. Air ambulances and emergency personnel are conducting rescue operations on the scene.
Photo source: X
The Chinese Consulate General issues safety reminders
Tour operators assist families of the deceased with visa processing
After the accident, the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco immediately activated the consular protection emergency mechanism, requiring the US side to verify the situation and formally notify China, fully rescue the injured, provide assistance to the families of the deceased for follow-up matters, and continue to follow up on subsequent work.
The Consulate General issued a safety reminder, urging Chinese citizens in the US to pay attention to travel safety:
Meanwhile, the involved Chinese travel agency is actively coordinating the treatment of the injured, assisting the families of the deceased with visa processing, ticket booking, and cooperating with the investigation.
Yellowstone, as the world's first national park, attracts a large number of international tourists every year. According to the latest data from the U.S. International Trade Administration, 36% of international visitors flying to the U.S. list visiting national parks or landmarks as their primary leisure activity.
The official visitor survey data of Yellowstone Park in 2016 showed that about 17% of visitors were from outside the United States, with 34% coming from China, 11% from Italy, and 10% from Canada.
This sudden tragedy once again rings the alarm for tourism safety. Currently, the aftermath of the accident is still ongoing. May the deceased rest in peace, and the injured recover soon.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7500368095068914228/
Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views. Please express your opinions by clicking the 【Agree/Disagree】buttons below.