A truck carrying rhesus lab monkeys from the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center in Covington, Louisiana, crashed on Interstate 59 on Tuesday afternoon, near Heidelberg, Mississippi. 

So far, five monkeys have been killed while three remain on the loose. Fifteen monkeys did not escape in the crash. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office said that any monkeys leaving the scene will be euthanized. 

The monkeys, each weighing around 40 pounds, are aggressive toward humans and require protective equipment when handled. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office originally said the animals carried COVID-19, Hepatitis C and herpes.

The primates in the truck are not infectious and do not belong to Tulane University, according to an Instagram story posted by Tulane a few hours after the crash.

Authorities advised residents not to approach any monkeys and to call 911 if one is spotted.

Tulane has dispatched a team of animal care experts to the scene to retrieve the 15 animals that remain caged.

It is not clear where the monkeys were headed or if any humans were injured in the accident.

The Tulane National Biomedical Research Center was renamed from the Tulane National Primate Research Center earlier this month. The center houses about 5,000 animals for biomedical research. 

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article stated one monkey was missing, as per the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office. The JCSO clarified, saying that three monkeys are on the loose.