Teen tourist dies after horse-drawn carriage accident in Central Park

An 18-year-old Indian tourist died after falling from a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park, New York City, police said. The teenager was riding with three other passengers when the driver stepped away from the carriage to take a photograph of the group. The young man was taken to a hospital in critical condition and was later pronounced dead; the other three passengers were not injured.

"It appears the driver was at least at arm's length from his horse," Alexander Kemp, vice president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, said in a statement. "We support a full investigation."

The incident follows the recent death of a carriage horse in the park, which was attributed to ingestion of a toxic plant. The use of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park has long faced criticism from animal-rights groups. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has expressed support for removing the carriages from the park, and City Council member Shahana Hanif called the recent accidents reminders of safety concerns for both horses and riders.

Hanif advocated for the passage of a proposed Ryder's Law, which would halt the issuance of new carriage licenses and phase out existing rides over a two-year period, citing public safety and animal-welfare considerations.