The Foreign Office (FCO) has issued an alert advising travellers to stay away from the area of West Street (Barclay Street to Christopher Street) following the incident yesterday afternoon, which is being treated by US authorities as a terror attack.
The suspect – named as Uzbekistani national Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov – used a pick-up truck to mow down cyclists before reaching a road and ploughing into a school bus.
He then jumped out of the truck wielding what was later identified as a pellet gun.
Saipov was chased and shot in the stomach by a police officer but survived and was arrested.
The 29-year-old left a note in the truck claiming he committed the attack on behalf of Islamic State, according to US media.
A group of five friends from Argentina were among those killed, the country’s foreign ministry has said.
The group was believed to be celebrating the 30th anniversary of their university graduation.
A Belgian national also died in the attack with the country’s foreign minister, Didier Reynders, telling the Belga news agency that "it was a woman from Roulers in western Flanders who was on a city trip with with her sister and her mother" in New York.
Nick Talbot, marketing director at Funway Holidays, said the operator currently had “just over 100” customers in the city.
"Our After Sales team are available to assist our agents should they have any questions but there is no impact on flight arrivals into New York so all bookings stand as normal,” he said, adding: “We have received no cancellations following the incident.”
New York police announced additional security across the city including around the city’s Halloween parade which took place last night.
