The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has said that the agency is investigating a recent accident that occurred on the evening of August 5 in Belle Glade, Florida, when an SUV drove into a canal, killing at least nine people, including six children, according to foreign media reports. Reports say that six children between the ages of 1 and 14 were killed in the accident. Three other women were also killed, including the 56-year-old driver. A 26-year-old male passenger was the only survivor. The Palm Beach County (Palm Beach County) Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) said that four people died at the scene following the accident, and five others died after being transported to local hospitals.
The 10th passenger in the vehicle remains hospitalized. The local sheriff’s department is investigating the accident and did not respond to a request for comment for more details. The vehicle involved was a 2023 Ford Explorer (Explorer), which Ford dealer websites indicate has a maximum passenger capacity of seven. The sheriff’s office revealed that they do not believe the crash was related to flooding or the aftermath of Tropical Storm Debby. Palm Beach County Fire and Rescue Chief Tom Reyes said, “I’ve been in the fire department for 20 years and this is one of the most tragic scenes I’ve ever experienced.”
On Aug. 6, outside media, citing a sheriff’s office accident report, reported that the SUV missed a left-turn intersection for an unknown reason and then landed in a canal. The car struck a guardrail and then fell nose-first into the canal, where water had flooded the wheels.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)