The collision took place between an SUV and a tractor-trailer at the Mexico border wall some distance from the Imperial Valley in California. There were people of different ages from Mexico packed in the SUV, and it entered through an opening in the wall. The media describes it as one of the deadliest highway crashes involving migrants trying to sneak into the United States.
The initial estimate of casualties is 13, and ten of them are identified as Mexican citizens. The Border Patrol indicated its agents were not pursuing the vehicle before the wreck. The area is a major farming region and provides a large variety of vegetables to the supermarkets to meet the people's needs. In November 2019, smugglers had cut through some portions of the border wall to carry on their activities.
ABC News says the portion of the wall breached was made of steel bollards. It seems the miscreants uprooted some of the poles and left them on the ground in the desert next to an assortment of other debris.
The CBP's El Centro sector Chief Gregory Bovino said - “Human smugglers have proven time and again they have little regard for human life.” He added that those who plan to use devious methods to cross the border from Mexico into America should be aware of the dangers
Break in the border wall was where illegal crossings happen
The Imperial Sand Dunes are notable for illegal crossings. Migrants usually climb over an aging barrier and wait for an opportunity to board vehicles moving in the direction of large cities. They intend to bypass the scrutiny of Border Patrol agents. These agents are positioned at various checkpoints along highways leading to cities in the United States. The border wall between the US and Mexico poses a danger to the American jaguars.
ABC News adds that the authorities are trying to establish the cause of the collision. The SUV can accommodate eight people safely, but human traffickers are least bothered about safety. They pack a maximum number of people into vehicles to maximize their profits. In this case, all seats were removed except those meant for the driver and front passenger. An official of California Highway Patrol’s border division informed this.
Illegal border crossings common at the location of the accident
The crash occurred in an area popular with those who indulge in illegal border crossings. In this case, the occupants of the SUV comprised men and women aged from 15 to 53. The driver was from Mexico and lost his life in the crash.
The 68-year-old driver of the big rig suffered moderate injuries. Those who managed to escape suffered injuries that ranged from minor to severe. Many of these migrants do not have evil intentions and want to come to America in search of better living conditions. ABC News mentions the crash area used to be a major route in the late 1990s for illegal border crossings. These reduced gradually, and Donald Trump had assigned a priority for constructing the wall. He decided to ax military projects to raise funds for the Mexico border wall.
Loss of lives at the US-Mexico border fence
According to CNN, another incident of loss of lives of undocumented migrants occurred in California's Imperial Valley.
The crash between an SUV and a semi-truck left at least 13 dead – 12 of them died at the collision site, and one person succumbed to injuries at a hospital. Before this accident, some people had gained entry into the United States through a cut-away portion of a border fence. The Border Patrol confirms this. Officials are investigating these as "smuggling events." The California Highway Patrol is conducting the accident investigation. In October 2019, a refrigerated trailer turned up in Essex with 39 bodies inside. They were probably victims of human trafficking.