The individuals involved in the fatal accident that resulted in the closure of the Rainbow Bridge border crossing between the United States and Canada were reportedly traveling in a $300,000 Bentley sedan from New York to attend a Wednesday night KISS concert in Ontario.
Security footage, shared by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), captured the moment when the speeding Bentley initially collided with a curb at the checkpoint and then crashed into a guardrail, leading to its propulsion into a secondary screening area before exploding into flames.
The FBI has emphasized that there is no indication of terrorist involvement in the incident. “Our preliminary investigation of the situation is that it was not terrorism related but we will continue to stay vigilant,” U.S. Attorney Trini Ross said at a press conference. “We will continue to make sure that the information we have is passed onto the public.”
The federal agency said it has now wrapped up its investigation, and handed it over to the Niagara Falls Police Department as a traffic incident. However, the dramatic nature of the incident has made that investigation difficult.
More: Car Explodes At U.S.-Canada Border Crossing After Dramatic Airborne Crash
It’s challenging to determine the precise model from the video material we’ve seen, but it does appear to be one of Bentley’s recent sedan models, possibly the Flying Spur. The luxury sedan sustained extensive damage during the high-speed crash, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul describing the vehicle as ‘incinerated.’ This presented challenges in identifying the driver and ascertaining the number of occupants in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
The vehicle was reportedly driven by a 56-year-old Manhattan businessman with his wife in the passenger seat. Officials have confirmed that the unnamed man is a resident of western New York. Unnamed sources informed CNN that the owner and his wife were traveling in the luxury vehicle, en route to Canada to attend a KISS concert. However, following the cancellation of the show, they are believed to have returned to the U.S. and visited a casino. The tragic crash occurred while they were on their way back to Canada at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
In addition to the two occupants of the vehicle, a Customs and Border Patrol agent sustained minor injuries. Governor Hochul described it as a miracle that no more individuals were harmed in the explosive incident.
While investigators do not believe the crash was related to terrorism, there was initially some uncertainty. Consequently, several other border crossings were temporarily closed, causing delays on the eve of Thanksgiving, a day known for heavy travel.
Footage from CCTV Cameras showing the Explosion of a Car at “Rainbow Bridge” Custom’s Checkpoint in Niagara Falls on the Border between Canada and the United States after the Vehicle can be seen Striking a Curb and going Airborne; the Incident was initially believed to have… pic.twitter.com/OirbU4M8JY
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 22, 2023