A 19-year-old Syrian national, transporting seven unregistered immigrants in his car was killed on Friday night in Komotini, when his vehicle overturned during a police chase.

The driver sped off when border police patrols motioned him to stop at the 18th kilometre of the Egnatia Odos-Komotini stretch of the national highway, and a police chase ensued.

The Syrian turned off the national highway in the direction of Xanthi via the old national road, but about 6 kilometres further down, he lost control of the car, which overturned, and was killed.

Police found the seven unregistered immigrants in the overturned car, one of which had been slightly injured.

All seven men, five from Syria, one from Afghanistan and one from Iraq, were taken to a nearby hospital, with six of then receiving first aid and the 7th being hospitalised.

An investigation is being conducted by the border police in the Rhodopi prefecture.