The preliminary investigation into a fatal charter bus crash outside Bryce Canyon National Park hasn’t uncovered any mechanical defects that might have contributed to the deadly accident.
“The Utah Highway Patrol and the National Transportation Safety Board examined the bus and uncovered no defects that could account for the driver’s loss of control,” National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators wrote in a report published yesterday. “All rear seating positions were equipped with lap belts. The extent of belt use by the passengers is being examined.”
At this time, it does not appear that the bus driver was intoxicated.
4 Chinese Passengers Killed in Crash, Dozens Injured
Thirty Chinese tourists were aboard the Freightliner charter bus when the vehicle suddenly swerved along Utah State Route 12 in Garfield County shortly before noon on September 20th. Although the driver attempted to correct course, the bus began to cross into the oncoming lane, causing him to steer sharply back to the right.
According to the NTSB, the bus then rolled one complete revolution, crushing the roof and ejecting 11 passengers, before coming to rest on its wheels. At that point, the damaged vehicle was straddling the guardrail and blocking westbound traffic on State Route 12.
Four people between the ages of 62 and 68 died at the crash scene.
All remaining passengers were hurt, including 15 people who suffered serious injuries. The bus driver sustained minor injuries.
Bryce Canyon Charter Bus Crash Remains Under Investigation
The group was on a seven-day tour that began in Los Angeles, California and was scheduled to end in Salt Lake City, Utah. Bryce Canyon National Park was the tour’s final stop before Salt Lake City.
The trip had been organized by the Shanghai Zhuyuan International Travel Agency, a California-based company that caters to the Chinese market. The driver was on his first trip for bus owner America Shengjia, but had previously driven the same route for another company.
So far, the NTSB has not determined what caused the Bryce Canyon charter bus crash, and all aspects of the accident remain under investigation.
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