The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) said Friday that it had no evidence of a fall-out in tourist arrivals as a result of a motor vehicle accident last week that claimed the life of a 10-year-old American visitor.

Erin Babineau died in Miami last Tuesday after being flown from Montego Bay, hours after the Jamaica Union of Travellers Association (JUTA) minibus taking her family to begin their vacation in Jamaica crashed, killing the driver almost immediately.

Erin’s parents, Jeff and Donna Babineau, were also injured but her two siblings were unhurt.

“It’s a terribly unfortunate accident,” Paul Pennicook, director of tourism, told the Observer on Friday, while extending condolences to the relatives of the child.

“We really could not say if there has been a fall-out; we’ve had no evidence at this time of any fall-out per se,” Pennicook said, but conceded that it was difficult to say for sure.

The Constabulary Communication Network said the accident happened at about 4:35 am at Roaring River, a sparsely populated district midway between St Ann’s Bay and the resort town of Ocho Rios in St Ann.

The family of five had arrived late after a flight delay and was heading to a hotel in St Mary to begin their vacation when the bus and a truck collided.

The driver, Shaun Young, 31, of a Montego Bay address, Erin and her parents were all injured and were rushed to the St Ann’s Bay Hospital where Young was pronounced dead.

JTB officials, on hearing of the accident, rushed to the scene to offer assistance.

While her parents were treated and released, Erin had to be airlifted to Miami for emergency treatment. She, however, failed to recover.

Accidents involving JUTA vehicles are rare. In fact, JUTA drivers are highly regarded as among the most disciplined in the island, a point that the tourism director reinforced.

“From my history, from what I know of JUTA drivers, they have been very responsible drivers,” Pennicook said.