Eight people have died and another eight were critically injured after a bus carrying farm workers crashed and overturned in Florida.

The bus was transporting 53 workers when it collided with a pickup truck in Marion County, north of Orlando, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said.

The bus then swerved off State Road 40 – a hilly two-lane road that goes through farms – and crashed through a fence, before overturning, authorities said.

The incident took place at 6.35am local time on Tuesday and It is unclear why the two vehicles crashed.

A total of 40 people needed hospital treatment – eight of whom are in a critical condition, the Marion County Fire Rescue confirmed to NBC News.

The driver of the truck was also taken to hospital and more than 30 ambulances attended the scene, NBC News added.

Lieutenant Pat Riordan, from the FHP, told reporters some of those injured are “in very serious condition” and there’s a “high probability” the death count could rise.

Gisele Bundchen weeps after being pulled over by police while escaping paparazzi

Mystery object that crashed into Florida home last month was ‘discarded space junk’, NASA says

‘I believe he is alive’: Cruise passenger who went overboard a week ago is a master diver, father says

“At this point, we are conducting a massive traffic homicide investigation,” he said.

More US news:
Trump trial latest as his ex-lawyer takes to the stand
‘Inappropriate behaviour’ shuts Dublin-NYC livestream

Torrential rain and thunderstorms have hit some US regions in recent days – including Marion County – and authorities will be investigating if the weather contributed to the collision.

Photographs from the scene show the bus on its side, with both its rear emergency door and top hatch open.

The farm workers were being transported to Cannon Farms in Dunellon, where watermelon harvesting has been taking place.

Following the crash, a post on the farm’s social media said it will “be closed today out of respect to the losses and injuries endured early this morning”.

“Please pray with us for the families and the loved ones involved in this tragic accident,” the post continued. “We appreciate your understanding at this difficult time.”

Cannon Farms is a family-owned business that has been operational for more than 100 years, according to its website.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

They now focus on peanuts and watermelons, which they supply to grocery stores across the US and Canada.

The vehicle transporting the workers was a 2010 International Bus and the pickup truck was a 2001 Ford Ranger, authorities said.

Related posts:

Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery who was shot dead ‘tried to run… and get away’, court told Hunt continues for shooters who opened fire on crowd and killed six Lethal injection execution of triple murderer called off because officials couldn’t find a vein in time Violence of Capital Riots could be repeated again, warns police chief Sixth Memphis police officer sacked over Tyre Nichols’ killing ‘It’s Marla’: Donald Trump confuses rape accuser with ex-wife, trial told Tree falls on Florida governor’s house moments after he warned people to stay safe during Hurricane Idalia Joe Biden’s dog bites another Secret Service agent Rudy Giuliani files for bankruptcy days after court orders him to pay nearly $150m Nude artist claims museum ‘turned a blind eye’ when he was ‘groped’ by visitors A humane death or a lethal experiment? How Alabama’s controversial nitrogen execution works Families of victims to be paid from OJ Simpson’s estate, executor of will suggests