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A bus carrying migrant farm workers crashed with a pickup truck in Florida Tuesday morning, leaving eight people dead and 45 people injured.
The crash, involving the bus carrying 53 people, happened on SR-40, northwest of Orlando near Ocala, around 6.30am.
Footage showed the bus lying on its side in a field off the highway, where it had rolled after colliding with the Ford Ranger truck and then a tree.
Eight people died in the collision. The workers were reportedly on their way to work at Cannon Farms in nearby Dunnellon, Florida.
“They are hard-working individuals and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them being here,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods told reporters after being asked if those on board were undocumented.
Just after midday, the Mexican Consulate in Orlando announced it was offering emergency phone numbers for the “presumably Mexican” migrants on board.
“[We] would appreciate any information about the affected Mexican individuals and their family members,” the consulate posted on X.
Florida Highway Patrol told The Independent that the approximately forty people injured were taken to local hospitals for treatment, later saying that some were in a “very serious” condition.
The agency is investigating the cause of the collision, which it is treating as “vehicular homicide”.
“It’s probably going to be six months, at least, before we conclude factually what transpired here today,” FHP Public Information Officer Pat Riorden told reporters on the scene.
Some were taken to nearby AdventHealth facilities in Ocala, with the hospital telling The Independent that 16 patients were in its care.
“Our prayers are with all those affected by the tragic bus accident in Ocala this morning,” Dr. Rodrigo Torres, Chief Medical Officer, AdventHealth Ocala, said in a statement.
“Our immediate priority is to provide exceptional medical care to those injured, and compassionate support to our patients and their loved ones. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.”
Marion County Sheriff’s Office was forced to clarify to followers on its Facebook page the bus involved was not a school bus, after rumours quickly spread that children were involved.
Drivers were asked to avoid the area while officers cleared the wreck.
The Sheriff called the collision a “tragedy” and said that the Highway Patrol was the best authority to investigate the wreck.
The farm where the workers were heading, Cannon Farms, posted to Facebook saying it would be closed Tuesday.
“Please pray with us for the families and the loved ones involved in this tragic accident,” the statement said.
Reacting to the news, the Florida Immigrant Coalition called the incident “gut-wrenching”.
“This accident, just like the Key Bridge collapse, illustrates the intricate interconnectivity between migrant labour and the success of our country as an economic powerhouse,” Adriana Rivera, Director of communications for FLIC, told The Independent.
“We would not be who we are today without the sacrifice and labour of the men and women who, while vilified and spat upon by many, have been the backbone of our country for generations. From the Chinese who built our railroads, to today’s construction and farm labourers, we owe our economic growth to them.
“We wish that this tragedy serves to amplify the voices of the labourers themselves; their dreams, their lives, and their full humanity. May they rest in power.”
