Impressive fatal accident in California: 13 people died | the Chronicle

A collision between an overloaded van and a truck killed 13 people on Tuesday, including ten Mexicans, and several injured in southern California, police said, correcting an initial report of death from a hospital.

The accident, which occurred near the border with Mexico, involved a heavy truck pulling two trailers and a pickup truck crossing National Highway 115, he reported at a press conference. Omar Watson, California police officer in charge of the investigation, according to the agency AFP.

“There were 25 people in the Ford expedition, including the driver. Unfortunately, twelve of the occupants, including the driver, died at the scene and another person died of their injuries after being taken to the scene. ‘hospital.”, said the policeman.

The Mexican government has confirmed that at least ten of those who died were citizens of their country and said it was working with California authorities to help fellow dead and injured compatriots, he detailed. Roberto Velasco, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Twitter.

Watson had reported that police were working with the Mexican consulate to determine the identity of the victims and notify their families. According to the manufacturer’s page, the vehicle involved in the accident admits a maximum of eight passengers.

Details of the fact

The incident occurred near Holtville, about ten kilometers north of the U.S.-Mexico border, according to emergency services. Earlier, an official from a nearby hospital in El Centro reported that a total of 28 people are believed to have been in the van and 15 of them are believed to have died.

According to Watson, the deceased is between 20 and 55 years old, but at least one of the injured passengers was a minor under the age of 16. The identity of the driver was confirmed but not revealed by the emergency services, which were still trying to identify certain passengers.

The first images of the collision released by local media show a truck embedded in the side of a large burgundy SUV, apparently with a California license plate.

The cab of the truck is almost intact, but the other vehicle, standing on all four wheels, appears to be badly damaged.

“Some were thrown on the road, on the ground, and died from their injuries. Others were found dead inside the vehicle and others were injured and managed to get out of them- same. “Watson explained.

In addition, he reported that the accident, the circumstances of which have not yet been clarified, did not occur during a chase. “We don’t know exactly what caused the collision. (…) But obviously such a vehicle is not designed to carry that many people.”, He said.

This is how the route was left after the accident