New York, Sep 25 (IANS): Six people were killed and seven injured when a vehicle crashed in a police chase in the US' Texas city, police said.

The crash occurred on Thursday around 1.30 a.m. (local time) at the US Highway 59 when police tried to stop the overcrowded vehicle, believed to be illegal immigrants, for an alleged traffic violation, Xinhua news agency reported.

The vehicle rolled and flipped several times after the driver lost its control, ejecting four occupants who died on the scene, Clinton Wooldridge, police chief of the Edna city, said in a press release.

Nine people were injured and sent for treatment, but two of them died later in the hospital.

Authorities said at least 15 people were inside the crashed vehicle.

The US Highway 59 is a major north-south highway corridor linking the country's southern border with Mexico to the northern border with Canada.

Authorities said human-and drug-trafficking-related vehicle crashes often happen on the route.