At least 10 Cuban migrants lost their lives and another 17 sustained injuries when the truck they were aboard overturned in southern Mexico on Sunday.

The incident occurred on the Pijijiapan-Tonala highway in the southern state of Chiapas, where a truck was illegally transporting 27 Cuban nationals, as reported by Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) in an official statement.

Initial reports suggest that the driver had been overspeeding, losing control of the vehicle, which flipped over. Shockingly, the driver fled the scene after the accident occurred.

The victims were females, including a minor, as confirmed by authorities. The injured are receiving medical attention at a hospital.

“The INM will establish communication with the consular authorities to initiate the administrative process for the repatriation of the bodies to their country of origin and is aware of the evolution of the health status of those seriously injured,” the statement read in part.

Migrants from Central America and the Caribbean often undertake journeys through Mexico, sometimes traveling in trucks and trailers with the goal of reaching the United States.

In 2021, another accident occurred when a truck believed to be transporting migrants overturned in Chiapas State, killing 55 people and injuring another 100.