YUMA, Ariz., Aug. 8 (UPI) -- An SUV rolled over outside of Yuma, Ariz., killing nine illegal immigrants attempting to avoid a spike strip set by the Border Patrol, authorities said.
Five other people, including the driver, were seriously injured Monday when the Chevrolet Suburban, which was carrying 22 people, went out of control on Martinez Lake Road north of Yuma, The Arizona Republic reported Tuesday.
The Border Patrol said five people were pronounced dead at the scene, and four others were later declared dead at Yuma Regional Medical Center. Six of the people killed were women. The five seriously injured victims were flown to Phoenix for treatment, a patrol spokesman said.
The Mexican government was working Tuesday to identify and repatriate the dead and asked for an investigation into the causes of the crash, said Miguel Escobar Valdez, the Mexican consul in Yuma.
"We're asking for clarification on the circumstances that led to this happening," Escobar said.
The Border Patrol said it has recorded 26 deaths -- not counting the nine from Monday's crash -- in illegal immigration-related crashes since the fiscal year began Oct. 1.
