5 killed, 40+ hurt in I-95 crash: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - May 29, 2026

David Muir, ABC's World News Tonight, America's most -watched newscast.Now streaming same day with all the breaking news of the day on Disney+.Most -watched, most -trusted.Now on Disney +, every night.

Breaking news tonight, a horrific bus crash in Virginia.At least five people killed, more than 40 injured.A bus plowing into multiple vehicles near a work zone on Interstate 95 south of Washington, D .C.And in New York, a fiery scene when two Amtrak work trains collided, one of them bursting into flames.Multiple injuries.

Commuters left scrambling.The dramatic first rescue of a minor from a flooded cave.Now the race against time to save four others still trapped in a maze of narrow tunnels.sometimes less than two feet wide.Tonight, we hear from one of those miners stuck in that cave.Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploding into a massive fireball, damaging the launch pad during a test in Florida.

Jeff Bezos calling it a quote, very rough day.And the warning to residents about debris from that explosion.A federal judge ordering President Trump's name stripped from the Kennedy Center.And another judge temporarily blocking his administration's nearly $2 billion payout fund.saying tonight.And the president weighing a final decision on a deal with Iran, meeting for hours with his advisors in the Situation Room, how Iran is now responding.

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi on Capitol Hill testifying behind closed doors, what she told lawmakers about the Epstein files.Tragedy on Alaska's Mount McKinley.Three climbers are found dead, but one safely brought down from America's tallest mountain.The daring rescue of students stuck at the top of a roller coaster dangling nearly 100 feet in the air for hours.Terrifying moments as a car crashes into a terminal at Detroit Metro Airport, the second time in four months, what we're learning tonight.And the winner of the Scripps National Spelling

Bee, what he told us about that nail -biting spell -off and the record finish.

From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World News Tonight with David Muir.

Good evening.I'm Wade Johnson.David is on assignment traveling the country for America's 250th celebration.But we begin tonight with breaking news, a horrific and deadly bus crash on Interstate 95 in Virginia, south of Washington, D .C.It happened in the middle of the night.

Five people are dead, including a seven year old boy.And four of those fatalities were in one vehicle.More than 40 people injured.Dozens rushed to the hospital.Police say the bus failed to slow down, plowing into six vehicles.And in New York, this fiery scene when two Amtrak work trains collided, one of them bursting into flames.

Tonight, multiple injuries reported.ABC's Jay O 'Brien leads us off from Stafford, Virginia.

Tonight, at least five people, including two children, are dead and dozens are hurt after this bus slammed into multiple cars on southbound Interstate I -95 in the middle of the night.

Multiple people jumping out of windows, multiple vehicles on fire.

First responders weaving through heavy traffic to get to the scene near Quantico, Virginia, just after 2 .30 this morning.Officials say the commercial bus bound for Charlotte from New York City with 34 passengers on board failed to slow down for a work zone.Passengers on the bus telling ABC News the driver was flying.Judy was sitting right behind the driver.

When the bus flipped, it flipped me over.

The cab of the bus is mangled as if it hit something head on, and workers here are going on and off getting personal items and suitcases.

Four people in one vehicle and one in another were killed.The youngest driver was shot.a seven -year -old boy And in New York a fiery scene out the window of a train as it pulled into Penn Station authorities say to Amtrak work trains collided and one burst into flames Five workers hurt the crash halted nearly all train traffic in and out of New York City during the morning rush commuters left scrambling went back here to that crash along I -95.

We're learning tonight, according to authorities, the bus is owned by a company based in North Carolina.The driver was also injured.Police saying tonight they're looking at possible criminal charges.And the Secretary of Transportation posting that federal officials are also examining his training and his licensing.

All right, J. O 'Brien for us tonight.Overseas now to the dramatic rescue of a minor trapped for more than a week in a flooded cave in Laos.Rescue teams still trying to free the four other minors.The threat of heavy rain is complicating their efforts.One of those men saying tonight they are weak and starving.Here's ABC's Britt Clennett.

Tonight, you're watching the harrowing rescue of the first of five villagers who have been trapped in a flooded cave in Laos for more than a week.Divers painstakingly guiding the man on an 800 -foot journey winding through narrow tunnels, at times less than two feet wide, in chest -high water.He's seen crawling on his hands and knees through tiny passengers.As rescuers explain, the man's hands are wounded.But with their help, he finally emerges outside, weakened, but finding the strength to make his way up one last hill.

Where he let out a loud cry.

That survivor then wrapped in a heat blanket.Images circulating online show a medical team giving him oxygen and an IV.But with the threat of fresh rain and floods at any moment, it is a race against time.clock to rescue four men who are still desperately waiting underground.They were out searching for gold when they became trapped by floodwaters.Two more people are still missing.

In a heartbreaking exchange, today one of the stranded men asked rescuers why they just can't swim out now.He says they are weak, starving and can't take it anymore, and are running out of batteries for their lights.The diver leaving the group with food and water, trying to reassure them they are pumping water out of the caves so they can rescue them.

You can't leave people underground too long without medical support, without proper food, sustenance, clean water, all of those sorts of things.before their condition is going to deteriorate.

These rescue divers were grateful to reach that first survivor and get that man out alive.Monsoon rains, they are still a real threat, but this brave team says they will try again in a matter of hours.

All right, Brick Planet for us, we appreciate it.Next tonight, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploding into a massive fireball.The blast scorching the launch pad during a test in Florida.No injuries reported, but it's a major setback for the space company founded by Jeff Bezos and NASA's Moon mission.plus the warning tonight about debris from that rocket.Here's ABC's Victor Okendo.

Tonight, Jeff Bezos' commercial space company, Blue Origin, is warning Florida residents not to touch any debris from this catastrophic explosion that incinerated one of its largest rockets during an unmanned engine test Thursday night.The enormous fireball lighting up the Cape Canaveral sky, producing a mushroom cloud visible for dozens of miles.Incredibly, no injuries were reported.Frantic witnesses inundating first responders with 911 calls.

was a massive explosion in Blue Origin.A big mushroom cloud just went into the sky like an atomic bomb.There was a huge fireball in the sky.There's still a raging fire going.

Daylight revealing much of the launch pad reduced to charred rubble.Blue Origin saying an anomaly took place during a static fire test of its 320 -foot tall New Glenn rocket when the rocket's engines are fired while the craft remains attached to the launch site.The explosion, a significant setback for Blue Origin and NASA, which is depending on reusable rockets from Blue Origin to send landers to the moon.

Blue Origin had emerged as really a key player in NASA's efforts to return to the moon.And so this is pretty devastating to that effect.

Blue Origin says it invested more than a billion dollars into that launch site in a statement.Jeff Bezos calling it a very rough day, but vowing to rebuild.

Victor Okendo, thank you.Now to the new legal setbacks for the White House.A federal judge ordering President Trump's name to be stripped from the Kennedy Center.And another judge temporarily pausing his administration from moving ahead with a nearly $2 billion payout fund.Here's ABC's Chief Justice Correspondent, Pierre Thomas.

Tonight, a day of potential setbacks for President Trump, including the possibility that his name could be stripped from the Kennedy Center.

The artist, the musician, continues the quiet work of centuries, building bridges of experience between peoples.

This 1962 speech by JFK and an American pageant of the arts cited by a federal judge today, ruling that Congress created the Center for Performing Arts to honor President Kennedy after he was assassinated, and that only Congress can change its name.U .S.District Judge Christopher Cooper writing, Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.Our Mary Bruce was there in December when the change was made.

There you have it.His name, Donald J. Trump, going up on the outside of this iconic building.

But today, the judge ordering that President Trump's name be removed from the institution's title as represented on the facade of the center and any other physical or digital signage and official materials.And today, another controversy surrounding the performing arts gaining headlines, as several artists announced that they are pulling out of the Great American State Fair, celebrating the country's 250th anniversary.citing concerns that the event, which has ties to the Trump administration, had become too political.But the event's organizers today pushing back, saying the affair is a celebration of American freedom, culture, and unity, not politics.And tonight, the controversy over Trump's so -called weaponization fund still making headlines, with a federal judge saying that no transactions should take place until she resolves whether the fund is legal.Critics have filed a lawsuit claiming that the fund could result in payouts to many of Trump's allies, including some of the January 6 rioters who attacked police.

President Trump tonight sharply criticizing the judge's ruling on the Kennedy Center, raising concerns about the building's structure and need for renovation.He appeared to wash his hands of the matter, saying he would turn it over to Congress to deal with.

Witt?All right, Pierre Thomas, our thanks to you.Tonight, President Trump is weighing a decision on a deal with Iran, meeting with advisers for two hours in the Situation Room, but still no final decision.And the key sticking points that Trump says must be part of the deal.Here's ABC's chief White House correspondent, Mary Bruce.

President Trump today huddling in the Situation Room for over two hours with his national security team to make a quote, final determination about a possible deal with Iran to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.But tonight, Trump still not announcing any decision.Earlier, the president laying out his demands.saying Iran must agree to reopen the critical waterway, pledge never to develop a nuclear weapon, and allow the U .S.S.to remove Iran's highly enriched uranium.

But Iran says their nuclear program, the key issue at the center of this conflict, is not a part of these negotiations.Iran also insisting the US release $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, but the president saying no money will be exchanged until further notice.An Iranian spokesman saying message exchanges are continuing, but no final agreement has been reached.And Whit, we are now in week 13 of this conflict.Americans feeling the economic fallout.According to one new analysis, this war has cost the average American household an extra $450 in gas and energy.

And tonight, these talks continue with no clear end in sight.

Whit?All right, Mary Bruce at the White House.Next tonight, at least three people are dead after an explosion and massive fire at an apartment building in Dallas.The search for additional victims now over.The NTSB is investigating a few minutes before the explosion firefighters were on the scene for several minutes for a reported gas leak.Now to a roller coaster getting stuck nearly 100 feet in the air trapping eight students at Pleasure Pier in Galveston, Texas.

The rescue taking hours and tonight the dramatic images coming in.Here's Trevor Ault.

Tonight, the harrowing rescue on a Texas roller coaster.High school students stranded for hours nearly 100 feet in the air.

They're just going to have to pray that all goes well in their extraction and get down to the ground here.

Those eight Houston students were there yesterday at Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier riding the Iron Shark roller coaster, getting stuck near the peak of its completely vertical ascent.

It just felt scary.I felt like I was going to fall.

Those students hanging backward for more than three hours.

Any small mistake can be catastrophic.

The amusement park shutting down as rescue teams raced in.Rescue workers using a ladder, carefully pulling them out one by one.Imagine that.Tonight, the school district says all those students are safe.

The heat was pretty brutal up there.They were pretty frightened, but they were pretty brave.

And with the amusement park says that ride experienced a malfunction and stopped as it's intended.It will now be inspected and tested before it goes back into service.

And thankfully everybody's okay.Trevor Ault, thank you.Former Attorney General Pam Bondi on Capitol Hill today for a closed -door interview about the release of the Epstein files.Bondi admitting to redacting errors but saying the department was committed to accountability and transparency in the process.When asked about a possible pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's convicted accomplice, Bondi said Maxwell, quote, hopefully will die in prison.An ICE agent was arrested for the non -fatal shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis earlier this year.

Christian Castro, taken into custody in Texas, facing charges including second -degree assault.Prosecutors saying he shot through a front door, hitting one person in the leg, the bullet landing in the wall of a child's room.Meanwhile, nine protesters arrested outside an ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey.It's the latest escalation from demonstrations over conditions at Delaney Hall, Homeland Security's Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen saying the arrest came after law enforcement officers were bitten, kicked and punched.When we come back tonight, the race to rescue climbers on the tallest mountain in North America ending in tragedy and a car slamming through the front doors of an American airport.And it's not the first time this has happened.

Plus the nerve wracking moments and the record finale at the National Spelling Bee for the very happy winner.Next night, the rescue efforts for hikers on Mount McKinley in Alaska coming to a tragic end.Three climbers found dead, but one was brought to safety.That hiker's condition has not been released.They fell onto a basin at the tallest peak in North America near the famed Denali Pass.Three other members of their team returned to camp safely.

A car crashes through the front doors of Detroit Metro Airport for the second time in months.The vehicle kept going into the building, people inside scrambling to get away.away.Amazingly, no serious injuries.The driver was taken into police custody.Another car drove into a terminal at the same airport back in January.

When we come back, the mystery behind a sonic boom and where it may snow in the northeast this weekend.To The Index now, a mysterious sonic boom in South Carolina.The community around Columbia and nearby counties shaken and startled from the noise.The U .S.Geological Survey confirming this was not an earthquake, but no word yet on what caused it.

No reports of injuries or damage.Well, snow is in the forecast this weekend for one part of the Northeast.New England bracing for storms up to four inches of rain expected there and in some of the higher elevations of New Hampshire, a few inches of snow could fall a successful C -section for a gorilla.The Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle announcing the arrival of a five pound four ounce baby boy.The C -section was an emergency because of low amniotic fluid.It's a rare procedure.

The newborn and his mother, Olympia, are recovering well tonight.When we come back, America Strong and the dramatic end to the National Spelling Bee.Finally tonight, the dramatic end to the National Spelling Bee.A new record, a new champion.Nearly 300 spellers competed.at this week's Scripps National Spelling Bee.

After nine exciting rounds...Can you please say the word five times?Two contestants left standing on the stage last night.Philippita.Philippita.

P -H -I -L -E -P -I -T -T -A.Philippita.That is correct.Thank you.

Okay, ertebola.E -R -T -E -B -O -L -L -E.Ertebola.That is correct.

Judges declaring a tie, prompting a dramatic spell off, a lightning round, 90 seconds to spell as many words as possible.

Denebola.D -E -N -E -B -O -L -A.Faidodo.F -A -I -S -D -O -D -O.Coathai.C -Y -W -Y -D -D -A -U.

Tlachtli.

T -L -A -C -H -T -L -I.

Mendoqua.

M -A -D -O -Q -U -A.

Rishiarius.

R -E -T -I -A -R -I -U -S.

Then, the anxious wait for the winner to be announced.The spell -off results are in.Shrey, during the spell -off, you correctly spelled a total of 32 words.You correctly spelled a total of 25 words, and that means that Shrey, you are the two -time winner.

14 -year -old Trey Parikh, an eighth grader from Rancho Cucamonga, California, declared champion, correctly spelling 32 words in the final round, a new record.Trey's proud family joining him on stage.And then an early wake -up call, speaking with GMA this morning.It's been something I've been looking forward to for a really long time.After coming in third in 2024 and then missing out on the B last year, Trey telling us he never gave up.

It honestly feels amazing.I'm glad I saw it through to the end and had perseverance and kept going.

And it all paid off.Well done.Thanks for watching tonight.I'm Witt Johnson.Have a great night.

Avid Muir, the most trusted, most watched newscast in America.And now, World News Tonight has won the Emmy for best live news program for the fourth year in a row.