Seven Dead in Tragic Tour Bus Collision Near Yellowstone National Park

In a tragic incident on Thursday, a collision between a Chevy pickup and a van carrying tourists led to a deadly fire and numerous casualties on a highway in eastern Idaho, raising concerns as the peak tourist season approaches.

Seven individuals lost their lives in a horrific accident that unfolded on a highway leading to Yellowstone National Park on Thursday, as a tour bus collided with a pickup truck. The Idaho State Police reported that the crash occurred when a van, traveling with 14 tourists, struck the pickup which resulted in both vehicles igniting into flames.

In total, eight other passengers sustained injuries, with some requiring air ambulance transport to nearby hospitals due to the alarming severity of their conditions. Tragically, the crash took the lives of six passengers in the van and the driver of the pickup truck, although authorities have yet to release the victims' identities or nationalities pending family notification.

Eyewitness Roger Merrill described a scene of chaos with flames and thick smoke enveloping both vehicles. He recounted the efforts of bystanders trying to assist the injured on the roadside, highlighting the dangers of the busy highway that leads to the well-frequented entrance of Yellowstone.

The highway remained closed for approximately seven hours as emergency personnel worked diligently to manage the situation and clear the wreckage, located about 16 miles from the park's entrance.

Yellowstone National Park, celebrated as the oldest in the United States, spans nearly 3,500 square miles across Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, welcoming around four million visitors annually, particularly from May to September. The ongoing investigation is focused on determining the cause of this tragic collision, which raises further questions about road safety leading into popular tourist destinations.