N.J. Bus Crash: Tour Bus Overturns on Busy N.J. Highway, Numerous Canadians Injured [DETAILS]

A tour bus carrying approximately 60 passengers from Canada bound for New York City overturned and crashed on a highway exit ramp in Northern NJ on Saturday, injuring numerous Canadian tourists. Authorities say the bus crashed and promptly slid down an embankment, ultimately landing on its side and injuring approximately 23 passengers.

Authorities are currently examining what may have caused the major accident on the Interstate 80 highway exit ramp in Wayne, NJ at about 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Officials with the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Safety Administration are also trying to determine whether the bus company from Canada (Toronto-based AVM Max 2000 Charter Services Inc.) was legally allowed to operate in the U.S.

The bus driver, 51-year-old Neville Larmond of Toronto, told NJ state police that he was cut off by another vehicle, resulting in his capsizing the tour bus. It is still not clear whether that was the cause of the accident - Larmond suffered a minor gash in his arm. The Canadian bus had been chartered by a church group headed to experience the sights in NYC - many of those on board were from Toronto's large Caribbean community out to celebrate the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Eight of the wounded passengers were admitted to a nearby hospital in critical condition, although authorities claim none of the injuries are life-threatening. The rest of the injured were being treated for minor injuries at two other local hospitals. Since the weekend accident, three people remain hospitalized in fair condition. According to authorities, uninjured passengers were put on another bus and able to continue on to NYC.

66-year-old injured passenger Norma Cumberatch told The Star-Ledger, "It was terrifying." Cumberbatch struggled to free her legs from fallen luggage and debris immediately following the crash, but was most worried about finding her 68-year-old sister and traveling buddy, Marjorie - "I just took my leg out and then said, 'Where's my sister? I want my sister.'"

According to Marjorie, "[I heard] a thump, thump, thump. Then I looked up and I saw people over me screaming and crying."

The NJ area where the crash occurred is referred to locally as the "spaghetti bowl," because so many major highways intersect there. The bus accident backed up traffic in the area for hours while law enforcement officials and emergency services vehicles arrived at and attended to the scene.