13 dead, 10 injured in Texas pickup crash

As many as 13 are dead and 10 are injured after a Ford F-250 pickup truck carrying the two-dozen passengers crashed in southeastern Texas.

According to CNN, at least six of the injured were airlifted to hospitals in San Antonio and Corpus Cristi. Original reports said 11 off the passengers had died at the scene and 12 were injured, but two people later died of their injuries. Several others are also said to have life-threatening injuries.

"There were multiple occupants in the front of the cab portion and multiple occupants in the bed of the pickup truck," Lt. Glen Garrett of the state Dept. of Public Safety told CNN.

CNN also reported that border patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were called to the scene of the accidents.

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"Based on the mode of travel — the way that the people were in the vehicle — it's a high probability there were illegal immigrants traveling northbound on 59," Garrett said.

Gerald Bryant, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, told the Associated Press the passengers in the pickup were of various ages and that he personally saw two young children among the dead.

"This is the most people I've seen in any passenger vehicle, and I've been an officer for 38 years," Bryant said to the AP.

According to Reuters, the pickup's driver lost control and crashed into a tree. It was uncertain why the truck left the highway. The weather was dry and clear at the time of the crash, and there was no evidence of alcohol at the scene.