ETNA, OHIO: The horrific accident on Ohio Interstate 70, where a charter bus filled with high school students was rear-ended by a semitruck, has six people dead and 18 injured, reported the Associated Press.

Licking County Emergency Management Agency Director Sean Grady has reportedly stated that five vehicles were involved in the crash. Among them was a Pioneer Trails charter bus carrying students and chaperones from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in eastern Ohio.

Three passengers on the bus, which was carrying 54 travelers and a driver, were pronounced dead at the scene, the Ohio State Highway Patrol has reported.

The deceased were identified as teenagers, namely, John W Mosely, 18, of Mineral City; Jeffery D Worrell, 18, of Bolivar; and Katelyn N Owens, 15, of Mineral City.

A group of three people traveling in a passenger one of the passenger vehicles involved were all pronounced dead at the scene, the highway patrol said.

They were identified as Dave Kennat, 56, of Navarre; Kristy Gaynor, 39, of Zoar; and Shannon Wigfield, 45, of Bolivar.

Ohio I-70 bus crash was like a chain reaction

The vehicles that were involved were traveling westbound on Interstate 70 in Licking County, about 26 miles east of Columbus, at about 9 am when the tragedy occurred.

According to the highway patrol, at least three vehicles subsequently caught fire. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. The scene has been visited by a team of National Transportation Safety Board investigators.

Marita Salkowski, regional communications director for the American Red Cross of Central and Southern Ohio, stated that the organization has sent 30 units of blood to a hospital in the Mount Carmel Health System to help victims.

Politicians react to Ohio I-70 bus crash

"In honor of the lives of those killed in the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District bus crash, I have ordered the flags of the United States of America and the State of Ohio to be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Tuscarawas and Stark counties, at the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes Tower from sunrise on November 15, 2023 until sunset on November 18, 2023," wrote Governor Mike DeWine.

"All other public buildings and grounds throughout the state may fly the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio at half-staff at their discretion for the same time period," he further stated.

Lt Governor Jon Husted posted, "Tina and I would like to send our heartfelt condolences and prayers to the victims and their families involved in the crash in Licking County this morning which involved students from Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools. We hope all who are injured in the crash may have a swift and complete recovery."

Congressman Troy Balderson wrote, "I am devastated to hear about the terrible crash on I-70 involving a semitruck and a bus carrying students. My prayers are with all those involved, and I will continue to closely monitor the situation."