Several Chinese nationals lost their lives in a devastating crash near Yellowstone National Park earlier this month, Idaho authorities confirmed Friday. The victims were part of a sightseeing group.
The crash occurred on May 1, when a pickup truck veered across the center line and struck a Mercedes tour van head-on. The impact ignited a fire and killed six people, including three Chinese nationals and the Chinese American driver of the van.
Among the deceased were Jianping Li, 71, of Guangxi, China; Xiaoming Jiang, 66, of Guilin, China; Yu Zhang, 30, the tour van driver from Eastvale, California; Li Nie, 64, and Aifeng Wan, 53, both residents of Arcadia, California, and believed to be of Chinese descent.
Authorities initially misidentified one Chinese passenger, Jian Shi, 56, of Shanghai, as deceased. They later corrected the record, stating that Shi had survived the crash with injuries.
The van was carrying 14 people, including 12 Chinese nationals, one Italian citizen, and the driver. The group was traveling a scenic route between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park—a popular circuit for spring tourists before the full park system reopens for the summer season.
The crash also killed the driver of the pickup truck, identified as Isaih Moreno of Humble, Texas. Idaho State Police say Moreno’s Dodge Ram crossed the center line before striking the van. The cause of the lane departure remains under investigation.