A van loaded with migrants veers off a road in Croatia, killing two people and injuring 25

A van loaded with migrants left the road in central Croatia early Saturday and overturned, killing two people and injuring 25, some seriously

ZAGREB, Croatia – A van loaded with migrants left the road and overturned in central Croatia early Saturday, killing two people and injuring 25, some seriously, police and doctors said.

The accident happened around 1 a.m. near Peklenica, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of the capital Zagreb, a police statement said.

A patrol spotted the van with German license plates overnight and began following it when the driver increased the speed, the statement said. After several kilometers (miles), officers saw the van overturn in a ditch after apparently crashing into a concrete bridge, a house and a utility pole.

Doctors told Croatian media that nine people were seriously injured and were being treated in area hospitals. These include people from Iraq, Turkey and Syria as well as Palestinians.

A similar accident in Croatia in September injured 14 people, highlighting the dangers faced by migrants fleeing wars and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Migrants often seek help from people smugglers to cross borders without authorization and reach wealthy Western European countries. Migrants are often forced to travel in overcrowded boats or vans.

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