HENRY’S LAKE, Idaho — A van carrying tourists collided with a pickup truck on a highway near Yellowstone National Park on Thursday evening, May 1, 2025, killing seven people, including five Chinese nationals, and injuring eight others, authorities said.
The crash occurred just before 7:15 p.m. on U.S. Highway 20 near Henry’s Lake State Park in eastern Idaho, approximately 16 miles west of Yellowstone’s entrance. Both vehicles—a Mercedes passenger van carrying 14 people and a Dodge Ram pickup truck with one occupant—caught fire following the collision, creating a scene of flames and smoke that shocked onlookers.
According to the Idaho State Police, six people in the van and the pickup truck driver were killed. The surviving occupants of the van were transported to hospitals, with some requiring air ambulances due to the severity of their injuries. The driver of the pickup was identified as 25-year-old Isaih Moreno of Humble, Texas.
The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco confirmed that five of the deceased were Chinese nationals, and all eight injured were also Chinese citizens. The consulate is actively providing assistance to the victims’ families and the injured, while Beijing has requested a detailed report from Washington on the incident, as reported by Xinhua. The consulate’s involvement underscores the international scope of the tragedy, given the significant number of Chinese tourists affected.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with no official determination yet on whether factors such as speed, road conditions, or driver error contributed. The van was traveling eastbound toward Yellowstone, while the pickup was heading westbound, according to police reports. Video footage from the scene, shared by witnesses, showed clear weather conditions at the time, ruling out immediate weather-related causes.
Local resident Roger Merrill, 60, witnessed the aftermath and described the highway as “extremely busy” and “very dangerous” due to the high volume of tourist traffic heading to Yellowstone, one of the nation’s most visited national parks, which attracts an average of four million visitors annually, according to the National Park Service. “I often see tourist vans on this road,” Merrill told The Associated Press. “It took an unnervingly long time for help to arrive just because of the location.”
The van was operated by a tour company, and its passengers included foreign nationals, primarily Chinese. While the Chinese consulate has confirmed the involvement of Chinese citizens, some reports suggest other nationalities, possibly including one or two Italian citizens, were among the victims, though these details await official confirmation from the Idaho State Police and the Fremont County coroner. The investigation involves coordination with the consulates of China and Italy, as well as the tour company, identified in some reports as Ctour Holiday LLC.
The crash closed U.S. Highway 20 for seven hours as emergency teams treated victims and cleared the wreckage. The remote location of Henry’s Lake, a popular spot for hiking, biking, and fishing, complicated the response, with first responders relying on air ambulances to transport the injured to medical facilities.
This tragedy has raised concerns about road safety on U.S. Highway 20, a two-lane road that serves as a primary route to Yellowstone’s main entrance. The high volume of tourist traffic, especially between May and September, contributes to congestion and potential hazards. Local authorities have not yet commented on specific safety measures or whether this incident will prompt a review of traffic management in the area.
The incident has also drawn attention to the risks faced by international tourists traveling in unfamiliar regions. Yellowstone National Park, spanning parts of Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, is a global attraction, and tour groups are a common sight on its access roads. The loss of life in this crash has prompted expressions of condolence from officials and communities in both the U.S. and China.
As the investigation continues, authorities are working to identify all victims and determine the circumstances that led to the collision. The Idaho State Police have urged anyone with information about the crash to come forward.
This is a developing story, and further details will be provided as they become available.(sources: agencies)
