Two people were killed and dozens were injured late Monday night, June 29, 2026, when an airport shuttle bus overturned on the westbound Long Island Expressway in Queens. The chartered coach was transporting 15 crew members of Royal Jordanian Flight 8261 to their hotel after they arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport from Amman, Jordan.

The disaster unfolded around 11:45 p.m. when the bus collided with two vehicles, struck the center divider, and flipped into the eastbound lanes, crashing into two additional oncoming vehicles. The bus driver and a Royal Jordanian crew member were pronounced dead at the scene. An oncoming driver remains in critical condition, three other motorists are stable, and roughly two dozen bus passengers were hospitalized for medical evaluations.

According to sources reported by WABC, the deceased bus driver was a registered Level 2 sex offender with seven prior arrests, including for burglary and sexual abuse. Although his commercial driving record was clean, he held a valid license with seven personal moving violations, including speeding and dangerous driving.

The devastating collision forced officials to close the Long Island Expressway in both directions for hours, causing massive traffic delays before emergency crews successfully cleared the wreckage. Royal Jordanian Airlines released a statement expressing profound sorrow while confirming they are actively coordinating with local authorities as the cause of the crash remains under investigation.