9 killed, 1 survives when overloaded SUV flips into canal in Florida
Nine people died and one person was seriously injured when an overloaded SUV went out of control on a South Florida road, hit a guardrail and went upside down into a canal, authorities said.
The 2023 Ford Explorer carrying 10 people was traveling south on Hatton Highway near the farming community of Belle Glade at about 7:30 p.m. Monday when it came to a part of the two-lane road that briefly jogs west before again heading south, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said. The NTSB said on Tuesday they opened an investigation into the crash in coordination with the sheriff's office.
The female driver failed to negotiate the turn and went off the road. The SUV hit a guardrail before flipping into a canal that runs parallel to the road, sheriff's investigators said.
The sheriff's office told CBS News they do not believe the crash was related to flooding or the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, which slammed into Florida on Monday as a Category 1 hurricane.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Tom Reyes told reporters that when crews arrived, the SUV was upside down and partially underwater.
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, while five died at the hospital. The driver is among the dead. A 26-year-old man who was a passenger was rescued and was in serious condition.
"I've been with the department for 20 years and this is one of the most difficult scenes I've been on," Reyes said.
According to multiple Ford dealership websites, 2023 Explorers have a maximum capacity of seven people.
No names of the dead, their ages or further details have been released but Reyes said children and adults were in the Explorer, CBS affiliate WPEC-TV reported.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families during this heartbreaking incident," the sheriff's office wrote on social media.
Belle Glade is just south of Lake Okeechobee and about 45 miles west of West Palm Beach.