3 Indian women killed in US as speeding SUV goes airborne, lands in trees

Mangalore Today News Network/NDTV

New Delhi, April 27, 2024: Three women from Gujarat were killed in a horrific car accident in the US. Rekhaben Patel, Sangitaben Patel, and Manishaben Patel, all residents of Gujarat’s Anand district, died as their SUV careened off the road, hurtling over a bridge in Greenville County, South Carolina.

 

According to reports from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, the SUV, traveling northbound on I-85, veered across all lanes, ascended an embankment, and soared at least 20 feet into the air before crashing into trees on the opposite side of the bridge.

"It is obvious they were traveling above the posted speed limit," Chief Deputy Coroner Mike Ellis told news channel WSPA. He also clarified that no other cars were involved.

The car was found stuck on a tree, shattered into multiple pieces, a testament to the velocity at which it collided with the surroundings.

"Very seldom do you see a vehicle that leaves the roadway at such a high rate of speed that it jumps 4-6 lanes of traffic and lands in the trees approximately 20 feet," Mr Ellis said, describing the unprecedented accident.

"Right now, it appears the vehicle is on its wheels, but when the vehicle jumped all four lanes of traffic, it probably struck trees at least 20 feet above the ground," he told local media.

Emergency response teams, including the South Carolina Highway Patrol, Gannt Fire and Rescue, and multiple Greenville County EMS units, rushed to the scene.

The sole survivor of the accident was reportedly injured and hospitalized, with uncertainty surrounding their condition. The detection system of the vehicle alerted some family members to the crash, who then alerted local authorities in South Carolina.