Nine 'migrants' die on US border

Yuma is a popular spot for immigrant-smuggling

Nine suspected illegal immigrants were killed after their car swerved to avoid a US border patrol spike strip in Arizona near the frontier with Mexico.

Another 12 people were injured, five critically, local officials said.

They were among 22 people travelling in the sports utility vehicle near the south-western Arizona town of Yuma - a border crossing point from Mexico.

The car overturned after swerving to avoid the strip put out by the border patrol, early on Monday.

Border Patrol spokesman Lloyd Frers said the driver had tried to avoid a checkpoint on the highway. With border patrol agents in pursuit, he attempted to make a U-turn but rolled over.

"It's pretty obvious to anybody who looks at it that it was more than likely a smuggling load ... and they were more than likely from Mexico," he told the Associated Press news agency.

Sheriff's Major Leon Wilmot said the authorities were investigating suspicions that those in the car were illegal immigrants.

Yuma has become a popular crossing point for the smuggling of illegal immigrants.

President George W Bush visited the area in May to promote his controversial proposals for immigration reform.