LONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) – A man has died after 35 people, including several children, were found inside a shipping container being unloaded at a dock in eastern England on Saturday morning, police said.
Two of the group, believed to be from the Indian sub-continent, were taken to hospital in serious but not life-threatening condition, while others were treated for dehydration and hypothermia.
The container was being unloaded at Tilbury docks in Essex from a ferry that had arrived from Zeebrugge, Belgium.
Essex police said that for the time being they were treating the incident as a homicide investigation.
“As a result of the ferry docking, staff at the port became aware of screaming and banging coming from the container,” Superintendent Trevor Roe told reporters.
An East of England Ambulance spokesman added: “It was a very difficult scene for our first crews there.”
Port staff were busy searching other containers from the ferry in case there were more people inside.
No further details were immediately available of how long the group had been inside the container or where they had entered it.
Tilbury, on the River Thames, is primarily a bulk cargo and container port and not such a prime target for illegal immigrants as those on the south coast, such as Dover.
Immigration and health authorities were helping the investigation, police said.
(Reporting by Stephen Addison; Editing by Alison Williams and Stephen Powell)
© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 109,835 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
President-Elect Donald Trump has thrown his support behind the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) in their ongoing labor dispute with the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) over port automation. With a critical...
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) leadership is challenging recent media narratives about U.S. port efficiency, as tensions escalate over port automation ahead of a critical January 2025 deadline. The media...
Embattled billionaire Gautam Adani pulled out of a loan deal with an American agency to fund a port terminal in Sri Lanka’s capital, ending an agreement hailed a year ago as an effort by India and the US to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 109,835 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
