NTSB: Investigation of deadly Ohio bus crash began Wednesday, information conflicting

LICKING COUNTY — The National Transportation Safety Board provided an update Tuesday evening on their investigation into a deadly bus crash.

The agency will have 16 personnel looking into the crash that occurred on I-70 in Licking County, Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB said.

Those personnel will include investigators and members of the Disaster Assistance Team who will assist families and survivors of the event.

Homendy said Tuesday morning the NTSB was notified of the crash involving a Pioneer Trails motorcoach which was taking 57 passengers to an Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus.

An SUV was traveling behind the motorcoach which contained passengers that were traveling with the group, Homendy said.

>> ORIGINAL REPORT: 3 students, 3 others dead after fiery bus crash on I-70 in Ohio

A semi-trailer was behind the SUV.

Two other vehicles in front of the motorcoach were also involved in the crash, Homendy said, making a total of five.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol stated that of the six people killed in the crash, three were students in the bus and the other three were in another vehicle.

It is not clear if this was a vehicle behind or in front of the bus.

Homendy said that the vehicles had approached slowed traffic from an earlier crash.

The exact sequence of events is not clear, Homendy said and will take further investigation.

>> PHOTOS: At least 6 killed, over a dozen injured in fiery I-70 crash in Ohio

Homendy said they will begin their investigation of the crash scene Wednesday and likely provide an update that afternoon.

The investigation for these types of crashes typically takes 12 to 18 months, but a preliminary report will be available in a few weeks, the NTSB said.

The NTSB said they would issue an “urgent safety recommendation” if specific issues were uncovered during the investigation and specific actions needed to be taken to prevent similar accidents from happening again.

We will continue following this story and update as new information becomes available.

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