At least 14 migrants were killed after being struck by a train while trying to reach western Europe through Macedonia, the country's interior ministry announced Friday.

Ivo Kotevski, a spokesman for the ministry, said the accident happened on Thursday night after an express train that runs between Thessaloniki and Skopje struck the group as they were walking through a canyon.

Macedonian officials have found eight other migrants, who were transferred to a local police station, and authorities are looking for the remaining members of the group.

Local media said the group reportedly consisted of around 50 migrants, mostly from Somalia and Afghanistan.

"We are facing a major problem," Macedonian Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska said in a statement. "We have been trying to reduce the number of refugees who have entered our country illegally."