ToplineMultiple news outlets reported that a van carrying more than 20 passengers crashed into a rural Texas Brooks County on Wednesday. It killed 10 and injured 20 others.Police car lights. gettyThe Key FactsForbes was told by Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez that the van, which contained 30 people, lost control and veered off the highway. Martinez stated that 10 people, including the driver, were killed and several others were injured. Martinez claims that most of the passengers were migrants. Fox News reported that 10 people were killed by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Forbes repeated multiple requests for comment.Important BackgroundBrooks County, a small territory of just over 7,000 people spread over nearly 1,000 miles, is sparsely populated. It is located 50 miles north from the Rio Grande Valley. In recent months, there has been a rapid increase in the number of migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico frontier. Brooks County is a popular destination for migrants who are on their way to the interior of Mexico. Many have traveled on foot through Brooks County, which can be dangerous and has resulted in many deaths.TangentA Ford Expedition carrying 25 people crashed in southern California about five months ago. 13 people were killed. U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated that all the victims were believed to have entered the United States illegally and suggested that the van's overcrowding was connected to a human smuggling operation.Continue reading13 people were killed in a California border crossing accident: How could it have happened? What was the reason for 25 people being in an SUV? An explanation visual (USA Today).
