A bus carrying 53 migrant workers to a watermelon farm in Florida overturned on Tuesday morning, killing at least eight people and injuring 45 others. The crash occurred around 6:30am on State Road 40 in Dunnellon, Marion County.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the bus collided with a 2001 Ford Ranger pickup truck before swerving off the road and crashing through a fence. The driver of the pickup was taken to hospital in serious condition. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Of the 45 injured, eight were listed in critical condition and 37 were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The bus was operated by Olvera Trucking Harvesting Corp., which had recently advertised for temporary drivers to transport workers to Cannon Farms, the intended destination.
Cannon Farms announced its closure for the day in a Facebook post, expressing condolences and asking for prayers for the families affected. The farm stated that the workers were employed by Olvera Trucking, whose owner was among those hospitalised.
Early reports that the crash involved schoolchildren were incorrect; a school bus was used to transport the injured. The investigation is being led by the Florida Highway Patrol, with multiple agencies assisting at the scene.
