ARUSHA, Tanzania, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen migrants, identified as from Ethiopia, had been found dead in eastern Tanzania's region of Morogoro, police said on Monday.

Morogoro Regional Police Commander Wilbroad Mutafungwa said that the aliens were found dead in Mindu area, near Morogoro municipality, along the Tanzania-Zambia highway.

He said that there were 26 illegal migrants on board a vehicle, but 14 of them had already died, and five are receiving medical treatment at the Morogoro Regional Hospital, while seven people were not affected.

He said that the aliens were on their way to South Africa, through Malawi or Zambia, in search for "greener pastures".

Mutafungwa said that the driver of the vehicle managed to escape.

Acting Morogoro regional medical officer, Francis Semwene said the aliens died because of suffocation as the vehicle carrying them was too small to accommodate the 26 people.

For her part, Regional Immigration officer Safina Mhindi said that it was not clear whether the bodies of the Ethiopians will be buried in Tanzania or to their home country.

Tanzania is the main gateway for illegal immigrants particularly for those who are on the way to South Africa.