Mass grave trucks - horror because of dead refugees in Austria
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/austria-freezer-truck-deaths-police-6336740
Police have confirmed 71 refugees - including four children - were found
dead in the back of a freezer truck in Austria.
The bodies were found after a workman mowing the grass on the hard shoulder
of the A4 noticed a putrid liquid leaking from the vehicle.
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/austria-freezer-truck-death-toll-6335771>
It is thought the bodies had been in the back of the vehicle for around two
days and police struggled to verify the number of victims as their bodies
were so badly decomposed.
A Syrian travel document was found among the horror and detectives believe
the victims may have been from the war-torn country.
Rex [image: Migrants found dead in lorry, Burgenland, Austria]
Shocking: Police struggled to identify how many bodies were in the back of
the lorry
The victims included 59 men, eight women, three boys aged seven or eight
and a female toddler.
It is believed they suffocated in the back of the sealed containter.
Three Bulgarian men were arrested in Hungary this morning in connection
with the tragedy.
Channel 4 reporter Lindsey Hilsum Tweeted of a "terrible smell of death" as
she passed the vehicle.
Reuters [image: Austria Lorry deaths]
Horror: Victims have been removed from the back of the lorry
Spokesman Peter Doskozil told a press conference the vehicle had been
parked on the hard shoulder for at least 24 hours before it was discovered
and a Bulgarian-Hungarian human trafficking ring was believed to be behind
the deaths.
German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said she was “shaken by the awful news”
Reuters [image: Austria Lorry deaths]
Evidence: The lorry is now being forensically examined by police
She said: "This reminds us that we in Europe need to tackle the problem
quickly and find solutions in the spirit of solidarity.
Meanwhile, Austria's interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner spoke of a
"dark day" for the country.
Austrian forensic team at truck. Driver reportedly fled. Bodies of #refugees
<
https://twitter.com/hashtag/refugees?src=hash> still inside.
pic.twitter.com/hAwl2y4KmK <
http://t.co/hAwl2y4KmK>
— Lindsey Hilsum (_at_lindseyhilsum) August 27, 2015
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https://twitter.com/lindseyhilsum/status/636881255838154752>
She added the government would take a 'zero-tolerance' approach and said
the trafficking "mafia" belong "behind bars"
The vehicle was towed away from the scene for the bodies to be removed and
it is now being examined by forensics officers.
Reuters [image: Forensic police officers inspect a parked truck in which up
to 50 migrants were found dead]
Probe: Police believe a human trafficking ring is behind the deaths
Rex [image: Migrants found dead in lorry]
Discovery: The bodies were found after the vehicle was left on the hard
shoulder
The 7.5-tonne vehicle had previously belonged to Slovakian chicken meat
company Hyza and still has the slogan “honest chicken” on the side.
The company said it sold the lorry in 2014.
Just drove past truck on A4 in Austria with 50 dead refugees inside.
Terrible smell of death as we passed. pic.twitter.com/a2AiDnsy5V
<
http://t.co/a2AiDnsy5V>
— Lindsey Hilsum (_at_lindseyhilsum) August 27, 2015
<
https://twitter.com/lindseyhilsum/status/636863756488851456>
According Hungarian officials, it is registered to a Romanian citizen from
the central city of Kecskemét.
Police say they have set up a hotline for families who believe their
loved-ones may have been on board.
Received on Fri Aug 28 2015 - 21:11:36 EDT