6 Teen Girls Killed in Crash Were in Car That Seats 4

Update: The six teen girls killed Tuesday in an Oklahoma crash were on their high school's lunch break, riding in a car that only seats four. Just the 16-year-old driver and the front-seat passenger were wearing seatbelts, the AP reports; Oklahoma is the only state that allows passengers older than 7 to ride in the back seat without a seatbelt. Along with the driver, three 15-year-olds and two 17-year-olds were killed. The cause of the crash is not yet clear, and while it was initially reported that the 2015 Chevrolet Spark was attempting to execute a U-turn when it was struck by a semi, police now say the girls were making a right turn. Our original story from Wednesday follows:

An unimaginable tragedy for the community of Tishomingo, Okla., on Tuesday when a car collided with a tractor-trailer and six high school girls were killed. The district "suffered a great loss today involving high school students," according to a letter sent to parents by the Tishomingo Schools superintendent, though no details have yet been released on the girls' ages or identities. They reportedly all attended Tishomingo High School. The accident took place at the intersection of US 377 and State Highways 22 and 99, the Oklahoman reports. It happened in the early afternoon, KXII reports.

The semi truck was driving south on 377, and the car was going east on 22, according to state troopers. The car stopped at a stop sign and then tried to make a U-turn; that's when troopers say it was struck by the semi. "When we got to the scene you could see the car about 100 feet or so from the intersection completely totaled," an Oklahoma Highway Patrol official tells KFOR. "Tishomingo is a very close knit community, and I know this afternoon that little town is in sorrow," state Sen. Frank Simpson said. Counselors will be made available at the high school. "Our prayers are with each of the families involved and our community. This is an absolute tragedy which will have life long effects," says the Johnston County Sheriff's Department. (More Oklahoma stories.)