A charter bus carrying a Houston, Texas, high school band home from Disney World went off the road into an Alabama ravine on Tuesday morning, reported ABC 3.
The incident happened on the I-10 and resulted in both sides of the highway being temporarily closed. Authorities said the bus drove into the median and then fell over 50 feet into the ravine. Driver Harry Caligone was a longtime employee of charter bus company First Class Tours, which said it is cooperating with authorities in the investigation.
The bus was carrying 40 students and six staff members, according to the district. Everyone onboard the bus was taken to a hospital, with helicopters assisting in their transportation. One person was critically injured, while five more were seriously injured and the rest suffered minor injuries.
United Airlines offered free airplane transportation, so those who were in the crash could get home. A second bus that was also carrying band members but did not crash continued on its way back to Texas.
The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct toxicology tests on the driver, while the medical examiner said it was still unclear if a medical emergency had occurred.
