8 killed and 45 hurt after a bus carrying farm workers crashes in Florida

Rebekah Riess and Dakin Andone, CNN

(CNN) — Authorities are bracing for nan anticipation of further deaths aft emergency officials said a autobus thought to beryllium carrying migrant workplace workers collapsed connected a authorities road successful north-central Florida Tuesday, leaving 8 dormant and 45 injured.

The 2010 International Bus carrying “approximately 53 workplace workers” and a 2001 Ford Ranger sideswiped each different astir 6:35 a.m., astir 15 miles westbound of Ocala, nan Florida Highway Patrol said successful a statement.

The Ford, “for chartless reasons, traveled toward nan halfway line” earlier nan vehicles struck each other, Lt. Patrick Riordan of nan Florida Highway Patrol said astatine a news convention astatine nan scene. The autobus past near nan roadway, went done a obstruction and overturned.

Eight group person been confirmed dormant while nan 45 injured were taken to aesculapian facilities, including 8 successful captious condition, James Lucas pinch Marion County Fire Rescue said.

“There’s a precocious probability this whitethorn beryllium beyond 8 fatalities,” Lt. Patrick Riordan of nan Florida Highway Patrol said astatine a news convention astatine nan scene, noting immoderate of nan injured, who see nan driver of nan Ford pickup truck, are successful “very superior condition.”

Footage captured by CNN connection WESH showed nan autobus – which Riordan said was taking nan workers to a workplace successful nan area – lying connected its broadside successful a field, pinch first responders’ vehicles parked nearby, their lights flashing.

“At this point, we are conducting a monolithic postulation homicide investigation. We person a afloat team, and past some, present connected nan scene,” Riordan said. “I tin show you that it’s going to beryllium astir apt six months, astatine least, earlier we conclude, factually, what transpired present today.”

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods indicated authorities judge nan autobus passengers were migrant workers, telling reporters, “We’re a very large cultivation county. So this clip of year, we ever person migrant workers that are successful our county, that are connected buses conscionable for illustration this.”

Asked astir nan workers’ migration status, Woods said, “Everything that I person been told astatine this constituent – they each person what they request to beryllium here. There’s nary logic for maine to beryllium progressive pinch these individuals. They’re hard-working individuals, and there’s perfectly thing incorrect pinch them being here.”

Woods noted location were challenges pinch connection barriers, but said bilingual sheriff’s agency unit and support unit were assisting successful nan investigation.

Mexico’s Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena said connected Twitter that Mexican workers were progressive successful nan accident, adding, “The Mexican Consulate successful Orlando is location to support Mexicans and connection consular assistance.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is monitoring nan situation, it said, and nan US Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration likewise said it was “aware of nan crash.”

“Our sincere thoughts are pinch nan victims, their families, and nan organization arsenic FMCSA assesses presently disposable accusation successful support of authorities and section information officials,” an agency spokesperson said.

Westbound lanes connected Highway 40 will beryllium closed “for astir of nan day,” nan Marion County Sheriff’s Office said connected its Facebook page, asking motorists to return alternate routes.

CNN’s Ana Melgar Zugina and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report.

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