A 22‑year‑old Columbia University student traveling from Beijing was killed in a tragic tour bus crash in upstate New York. The fatal incident claimed five lives, leaving families and the academic community in grief.
Authorities identified the victims as Xie Hongzhuo, a Columbia student from Beijing, Shankar Kumar Jha of India, and three New Jersey residents. The crash occurred on Interstate 90 near Pembroke on August 22, 2025, as the tour bus was returning from Niagara Falls to New York City with more than 50 passengers.
According to officials, the bus veered into the median before overcorrecting and overturning, resulting in multiple fatalities at the scene. Several others were injured and transported to nearby hospitals.
Columbia University issued a statement mourning the student’s loss, offering support and counseling to the campus community and the student’s family. The university emphasized the emotional impact felt across its community and confirmed ongoing outreach to those affected.
Investigators—including state police and the National Transportation Safety Board—are examining potential causes such as driver distraction, vehicle condition, and road engineering. A surveillance camera and the bus’s data recorder will aid the inquiry
