Authorities in Florida said that eight people have been killed and eight others sustained critical injuries after a bus carrying dozens of workers overturned Tuesday morning in Marion County, reported local media WCJB.

The outlet also reported that 53 people labourers were on the bus on State Road 40 between Ocala and Dunnellon around 6:30am before it was involved in a head-on collision with a pickup truck.

According to the troopers, people on board the bus were “migrant workers” en route watermelon farm.

Other 37 people sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

About 40 people were transported to hospitals, the highway patrol said in a statement and the driver of the Ford Ranger was hospitalised for serious injuries.

Highway patrol said the number of fatalities could increase because of the conditions of the critically injured bus occupants, according to the USA Today report.

Sheriff Billy Woods said the people on the bus were hard-working individuals and the crash was a tragedy.

“My heart goes out to them,” Woods said, adding that his agency is assisting investigators, especially with Spanish language translation. Officials are trying to notify the victims’ families.

The people worked for a private firm and were on their way to Cannon Farms in Dunnellon, Florida. The owner of the firm was also among the injured who were transported to hospital.