10 killed as overloaded van overturns near border checkpoint in Texas

A van overloaded with 30 people, many of them believed to be illegal immigrants, crashed in southern Texas on Wednesday, killing 10 onboard and critically injuring many others, police said.

The van veered off Highway 281 in Encino, Texas, about 80 kilometers north of McAllen, and struck a metal utility pole at about 4 p.m. local time, said Sgt Nathan Brandley of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The driver and nine passengers were killed upon the impact, Brandley said. The remaining 20 passengers were taken to local hospitals, where some of them were in critical condition.

According to Brandley, the crash occurred several kilometers from a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint, and the passengers appeared to be illegal immigrants.

Texas authorities were working with the Mexican consulate to identify the victims, he said.

Source(s): Reuters