BELLE GLADE, Fla. – Nine people have died after a Ford Explorer crashed into a canal in Palm Beach County Monday night, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday morning.
They were members of a family that were visiting from out of town.
According to ABC affiliate WPBF, the single-vehicle crash occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Southwest Conners Highway in Belle Glade.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue crews responded to the scene and found the SUV upside down in the water, with only its wheels visible.
Investigators say the driver of the SUV failed to turn while approaching a curve, causing the SUV to slam into a guardrail before flipping over into the nearby canal.
Authorities confirmed that 10 people were inside the vehicle, four of whom were pronounced dead at the scene.
The six others were hospitalized, two of whom were airlifted to a trauma center with critical injuries.
PBSO confirmed Tuesday that five of the victims died at the hospital, bringing the death count to nine and leaving only one survivor -- 26-year-old Jorden Hall, who is now listed in serious condition.
The fire department confirmed that one PBSO deputy was also injured after deputies and fire rescue personnel dove into the water to search for victims.
Fire rescue divers searched the canal to ensure all occupants were accounted for.
“We had divers in the water, so they were actively searching the area. You could see the wheels outside of -- above the water,” Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Tom Reyes said.
Investigators released the names of all the victims.
They are 56-year-old Pamela Wiggins, 30-year-old Leiana Hall, 21-year-old Anyia Tucker, 14-year old Michael Anthony Hall, 8-year-old Imani Hall, 5-year-olds Kamdien Edwards and Yasire Smith, 3-year-old Zaire Mack and 23-month-old Naleia Tucker.
PBSO is investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash.
“They’re going to be doing a detailed investigation and trying to figure out exactly what happened,” Reyes said.
The NTSB confirmed they are also assisting in the investigation.
The NTSB, in coordination with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, is sending a team to conduct a safety investigation into Monday’s single vehicle crash involving a sport utility vehicle that departed the roadway and flipped into a canal, near Belle Glade, Florida.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) August 6, 2024
Family members have created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses, and it can be found by clicking here.