New York, August 3: Four Indian-origin senior citizens from a New York family, who went missing during a road trip to a spiritual destination in West Virginia, were found dead after their vehicle crashed in a remote area, authorities confirmed on Sunday.
The victims were identified as Dr. Kishore Divan (89), Asha Divan (85), Shailesh Divan (86), and Gita Divan (84). The group was travelling from Buffalo, New York to Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold in Marshall County, West Virginia — a popular spiritual site — but never arrived at their prepaid accommodation.
According to Marshal County Sheriff Mike Dougherty, their light green Toyota Camry (license plate EKW2611) was discovered on Saturday night around 9:30 PM off a steep embankment along Big Wheeling Creek Road. “First responders were on the scene for more than five hours,” the Sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.
The family was last seen six days earlier, on July 29 at 2:45 PM, at a Burger King outlet on Peach Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. CCTV footage showed two members entering the restaurant, and credit card use at the location marked it as their last known stop.
Shortly after, a license plate reader detected their car heading south on I-79, indicating they were en route to Pittsburgh, and then onward to Moundsville, West Virginia.
Multiple search teams from Marshall and Ohio counties conducted ground searches over the past week. Their efforts were supported by the Council of Heritage and Arts of India (CHAI), a New York-based non-profit, which had appealed to the community for help.
In a statement issued before the tragic discovery, CHAI had expressed concern: “Two couples who were traveling are currently missing, and we’re all deeply concerned. If anyone has heard from them or has any updates, please reach out. Hoping they’re safe and will be found soon.”
The incident has left the Indian-American community in shock, and local authorities have yet to release further details on the cause of the crash. An investigation is underway.
