WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. — Authorities from the Idaho State Police have revealed new details regarding the tragic crash involving a tour van and a pickup truck that resulted in several fatalities. The tour van, driven by an individual holding a California license, was part of an excursion organized by Ctour Holiday LLC, a notable operator in international travel.
The collision tragically claimed the lives of the pickup truck driver and six occupants of the tour van. The incident took place last Thursday evening along U.S. Highway 20, positioned near Henry’s Lake State Park in eastern Idaho. The tour group was en route to the iconic Yellowstone National Park at the time of the accident.
Authorities identified the pickup truck driver as 25-year-old Isaih Moreno from Humble, Texas. As of now, it has not been confirmed if the van’s driver is among those deceased.
Attempts to reach Ctour Holiday for comment on the matter went unanswered on Saturday.
The van carried 13 passengers, comprising twelve individuals of Chinese nationality and one Italian. Both the police and Ctour Holiday are in close collaboration with the Chinese and Italian consulates, facilitating communication and support.
A statement from the Chinese Consulate General located in San Francisco indicated that five citizens from China lost their lives, while eight sustained injuries. “The consulate promptly enacted its emergency protocol to extend consular protection and support to those injured and the victims’ families,” they elaborated.
The details surrounding the accident are still under investigation. At present, the deceased individuals will undergo autopsies at the Ada County Coroner’s Office to verify their identities formally.
Of the injured, three sustained serious injuries: two individuals were airlifted to a hospital in Idaho Falls, and another to a Bozeman, Montana medical center. As of this time, there has been no updated information released about their medical conditions, and inquiries with the hospitals have not been met with responses.
Other individuals involved received treatment for injuries that, fortunately, were not considered life-threatening.
The authorities have also emphasized a commitment to preserving privacy regarding the specific medical statuses of the injured parties and hence, will not be releasing any additional medical information.