Farmingdale bus crash: Two dead during high school's annual band trip in New York

The bus was carrying a marching band, dancers and colour guard from Farmingdale High School

The bus was carrying carrying 40 pupils and four adults, New York State Police said. AP

At least two people were killed and dozens injured when a bus crashed on a New York motorway and fell down an embankment on Friday.

The bus was one of six taking a marching band and dancers from Farmingdale High School, in Long Island, on an annual trip to a camp in Greeley, in north-eastern Pennsylvania.

The bus was carrying 40 pupils and four adults, said Lt Col Richard Mazzone, of the New York State Police.

He identified the dead as Gina Pellettiere, 43, and Beatrice Ferrari, 77.

Five passengers were taken to hospital and are in critical condition, state police said.

The bus crashed at about 1pm local time about 72km north-west of New York City.

A tyre failure may have been to blame, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said.

Farmingdale pupil Anthony Eugenio, 15, was asleep on the bus at the time of the crash.

“Everyone was yelling. The kid next to me was covered in blood. I saw blood everywhere," he said.

He escaped through a window.

September trips to band camp are a tradition at the high school, which has about 1,700 pupils.

More than 300 pupils, including members of the band, a colour guard and school dancers, have attended the trips in previous years.