Four elderly members of an Indian-origin family who went missing during a road trip from New York to a spiritual site in West Virginia were found dead on Saturday following a car crash, authorities confirmed.
The victims — Asha Divan (85), Kishore Divan (89), Shailesh Divan (86), and Gita Divan (84) — were last seen on July 29 at a Burger King in Pennsylvania. They had been driving from Buffalo to Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, a well-known spiritual landmark in Marshall County, West Virginia.
According to Marshal County Sheriff Mike Dougherty, the group’s vehicle, a 2009 lime green Toyota Camry with New York license plates, was discovered late Saturday evening down a steep embankment along Big Wheeling Creek Road. All four occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
Emergency crews responded around 9:30 p.m. local time and spent over five hours at the crash site. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the crash. “Sheriff Dougherty extends his deepest condolences to the family members of the victims,” the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The family had been reported missing after they failed to arrive at their destination. Surveillance footage from the Burger King showed two of the family members entering the restaurant, and their last known credit card transaction was traced to the same location. Later, a license plate reader in Pennsylvania picked up the Camry heading south on Interstate 79.
Their intended route was to take them through Pittsburgh before reaching Moundsville, West Virginia. After they went missing, a widespread search was launched by deputies from Marshall and Ohio counties. Their vehicle was also flagged in the National Crime Information Center, and a missing persons report was filed in Buffalo.
The Council of Heritage and Arts of India (CHAI), a nonprofit in Williamsville, New York, also appealed for help in locating the family. “Two couples who were traveling are currently missing, and we’re all deeply concerned,” CHAI President Sibu Nair said before the crash site was located.
Further details, including the cause of the accident, are expected to emerge after the investigation is complete.
Image Source: Google
Image Credit: Respective Owner
