Woman killed after car carrying migrants in Greece crashes

THESSALONIKI, Greece – Police say a woman died and another nine people injured when a car full of migrants who had illegally entered Greece crashed on a northern road.

The accident occurred some 40 kilometres (25 miles) northeast of Thessaloniki Tuesday, shortly after the car, into which nine passengers had been squashed, drove through a police roadblock without stopping.

The 18-year-old Syrian driver, who was hospitalized under police guard, is suspected of belonging to a smuggling gang that had organized the nine migrants’ transfer from near the Turkish border.

The nationalities and identities of the nine passengers were not immediately known.

Thousands of migrants enter Greece illegally from Turkey every year. Many of those crossing the land borders pay smugglers to be driven to Thessaloniki. Fatal accidents are common.