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Two Farmingdale High School employees, Beatrice Ferarri and Gina Pellettiere, were killed after a bus carrying high school band members from Long Island tumbled down a steep ravine on Interstate 84 in Orange County, New York.
According to multiple reports, on Thursday, September 21, six buses carrying 300 members of the Farmingdale High School marching band were headed from Long Island to Pennsylvania on a trip to a music camp.
During the trip, on early Thursday afternoon, one of the buses with 44 passengers - 40 students and four adults - veered off a highway and went down a steep 50-foot ravine and overturned in Orange County, New York.
The crash reportedly killed two adults, Beatrice Ferarri and Gina Pellettiere, who were chaperoning the students. Authorities said that five or six students were critically injured, and several others suffered minor injuries at the scene.
What we know about Farmingdale bus crash victims Beatrice Ferarri and Gina Pellettiere
On Thursday afternoon one of six buses carrying Farming High School band members and their chaperones crashed into a ravine. The accident claimed the lives of two adults, Beatrice Ferarri and Gina Pellettiere. In a news conference, New York Governor Kathy Hochul purported that perhaps a "faulty front tire contributed to the accident," however the incident is still under investigation.
"A bus that literally tumbled down a 50-foot ravine within minutes. It's extraordinary," Gov. Kathy Hochul said. "While it's preliminary, it's likely that a faulty front tire contributed to the accident. Although, again, this is still under investigation. That's a preliminary determination."
One of the victims of the crash, Beatrice Ferarri, 77, was a resident of Farmingdale. The other victim, Gina Pellettiere, 43, lived near the Long Island town of Massapequa.
Per the Farmingdale High School website, Gina Pellettiere was a beloved band director and the lone adviser to both the school's jazz and "pep" bands. Meanwhile, Beatrice Ferarri was a retired social studies teacher who served as faculty adviser for the school's band program.
Community mourns death of two Farmingdale High School employees killed in crash
In the wake of the deadly crash, the Farmingdale community is mourning the loss of beloved members. In a Facebook post, the victim’s colleague wrote:
“Profoundly saddened by the passing of my colleague Gina Pellettiere, a truly wonderful teacher and musician whose legacy will cast long shadows - her smile and energy will be missed deeply and by my former colleague and department brethren.”
She added
“Bea Ferrari. Bea retired from high school long ago but was still a community stalwart and patron of our beloved music program. Her sweet soul was well-known and called home to her maker, far too suddenly for any of us to understand.”
In another Facebook post, Garden City Ski Club revealed Gina Pellettiere was an avid skier and golfer who will be greatly missed.
As the community grapples with the devastating loss, CBS reported the National Transportation Safety Board was sending a team to conduct an investigation Friday morning.
