14 immigrants killed in Macedonia train accident

Skopje (Macedonia): At least 14 immigrants were killed in a train accident near the central Macedonian town of Veles, 55 km south of capital Skopje, police confirmed on Friday.

A group of 50 immigrants, whose origins are still being established, were walking through a canyon on the railway track leading to Skopje when a train hit them late Thursday night, Xinhua news agency reported.

With the accident location being very hard to access -- it can be reached only by train or walking on the rails, rescue teams were having difficulties reaching them.

Many migrants, especially those from Syria who enter Macedonia illegally from Greece, risk their lives by walking on the rails to reach Skopje and the border with Serbia.