A packed SUV carrying nine family members, including several young children, crashed and ended up in a canal in South Florida on Monday, killing all of them.
Only one of the passengers was able to survive the accident and was taken to a hospital in serious condition.
The incident was described by a fire rescue captain as one of the most challenging scenes he has ever worked in.
The tragic incident happened at around 7:30 p.m. as the group, which included six children and four adults from different states, was traveling through Belle Glade.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle hit a guardrail and then fell into a canal.
The submerged vehicle only had its wheels visible.
At the scene, four victims died, and five others passed away at the hospital. Some of those who died included six children, including a one-year-old child named Naleia Tucker.
Also, Michael Hall Jr., 14, and Imani Hall, 8, as well as 30-year-old Leiana Alyse Hall and 21-year-old Anyia Tucker died.
The sole survivor of the tragic incident is Jorden Rickey Hall, 26.
The group was on its way to Florida to celebrate a relative’s birthday.
According to Anntianette Edwards, her son Kamdien died during the trip.
The tragic incident happened on the last day of the trip.
The family was on their way to return to Connecticut after spending the weekend in Florida.
They were driving a Ford Explorer, which had a maximum capacity of seven passengers.
The police noted that none of the passengers were wearing seatbelts during the tragic incident.
