Earlier this month, a pick-up truck collided with a tour van from California near Yellowstone National Park, resulting in the deaths of 6 people on the van. On Friday (May 16th), the Idaho State Police released the identities of the victims. Among the six deceased were four Chinese citizens – two from Guangxi, two from California; one of Italian descent with Chinese heritage, and a Chinese driver. The driver of the pick-up truck also perished.
According to the Associated Press, the Idaho State Police stated that among the tourists who lost their lives in the tragic accident on May 1st were 71-year-old Li Jianping from Guangxi, 66-year-old Jiang Xiaoming from Guilin, Guangxi, and 28-year-old Ivana Wen from Milan.
Two other victims were residents of California: Nie Li, 64, and Wan Aifeng, 53, both from Arcadia in Southern California. The driver of the tour van, Zhang Yu, 30, from Eastvale, California also tragically lost his life.
The Idaho State Police initially included 56-year-old Shi Jianlie from Shanghai as one of the deceased, but later issued a correction stating that Shi Jianlie was injured but survived the accident.
There were a total of 14 people inside the tour van. Authorities stated that among the 13 passengers, 12 were Chinese citizens and one was an Italian citizen. The survivors were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The driver of the pick-up truck also tragically passed away. Authorities had previously confirmed that he was Isaiah Moreno from Texas.
Investigators confirmed that Moreno, driving a Dodge Ram truck, crossed the center line of the road and collided with Zhang Yu’s Mercedes tour van. Police stated that they are continuing to investigate the reasons behind the pick-up truck crossing the center line.
The accident took place on a highway south of West Yellowstone in Montana, a crucial route in spring for travel between Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Following the north-south road opening, the parks will be fully open for summer.
Yellowstone National Park is one of the largest national parks in the United States, attracting millions of visitors each year. It is home to the iconic Old Faithful geyser, as well as habitat for wolves, bison, and over fifty other mammal species. The park is primarily located in Wyoming, but extends into parts of Montana and Idaho.
According to the latest comprehensive data on park visitor usage, in 2016, 17% of Yellowstone visitors were from other countries. Among international visitors, 34% were from China and 11% were from Italy.