Bus Crash in Eastern Oregon Kills Nine

The bus crashed while traveling from Las Vegas to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Photos from scene: Oregon State Police

(PENDLETON) - Police say a passenger bus carrying an unconfirmed number of people lost control on the snow/ice covered westbound lanes of Interstate 84 Sunday, prior to 10:30 a.m., near milepost 227.

The bus crashed through a guardrail and went down an embankment an estimated two hundred feet before coming to a rest. Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers and local emergency responders responded to the Sunday morning bus crash that claimed the lives of at least nine people.

It happened along the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 east of Pendleton at milepost 228. The bus is owned by the charter bus company Mi Joo Tour & Travel from Vancouver, British Columbia.

All deceased victims and injured persons have been removed from the scene. No confirmation on total number of bus occupants.

Approximately twenty (20) people were transported to an area hospital with additional injured persons being prepared for transport. Police say three fixed wing medical aircraft were used by at Pendleton-area airport to transported injured to out-of-area hospitals.

Personnel trained for rope rescues were on scene helping retrieve people from the crash scene back to the highway. Emergency responders from multiple agencies in the Umatilla and Union county areas were on the scene.

Multiple area emergency responding agencies responded to the scene.

The bus driver survived the crash but investigators have not be able to speak to this person because of severity of injuries and medical care.

Names and other information of the bus occupants will not be released today. Deceased victims' names will only be released after confirmation of next of kin notifications, and given the fact they are believed to be out of country residents this could may take an unknown length of time. Investigators are still on scene. The cause of the crash is not known.

Police say this is the second fatal crash in northeast Oregon this morning. Area roads are slick because of snow and ice. OSP and ODOT urge all drivers to go slow and safe for the road conditions where they are traveling. Up-to-date road and weather conditions are available on ODOT's website TripCheck.com.

The bus reportedly was enroute on a return trip from Las Vegas, Nevada to Vancouver, British Columbia.

All photos courtesy of Oregon State Police