A truck carrying illegal migrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has flipped in Angola, killing 16 people and seriously injuring three others.

The illegal immigrants were travelling from the border post of Soyo, in Angola’s northwest, to the capital Luanda, when the accident occurred on Sunday.

According to police chief Andre Massota of Angola’s Zaire Province, the immigrants were hiding in the container of the truck. “The victims died of injuries and asphyxiation.”

Massota added that it took the police two hours to open the container.

He also said the driver of the truck, who had charged the passengers $200 (150 euros) for the ride, fled away after the accident.

In the past two weeks, over 30 migrants, most of whom are from the DRC, have been taken back to the border in Angola.