'Frozen' stowaways hidden in refrigerated lorry en route to Dover
Stowaways found in a
refrigerated lorry
Four child stowaways have been found hidden in
a refrigerated lorry in sub-zero temperatures en route to
Dover.
The four were part of a gang of seven illegal immigrants rescued
from the locked lorry at Dunkerque in France.
They were discovered hiding among a load of soft cheese - in
temperatures of -2 celsius.
Border Force officers had spotted the door handle had been
cut, but the Slovakian-registered lorry was locked.
The four children, all aged nine and 16, and one of the
adults were suffering from hypothermia and taken to
hospital.
If they had not been discovered, it is thought they faced
another seven hours inside the truck.
The Bulgarian lorry driver was interviewed by French police, but
later released without charge.
Border Force south east director Paul Morgan said: "This
incident shows the desperate lengths that people will go to in
their attempts to reach the UK. It also shows the complete
disregard for safety and wellbeing shown by the people-smugglers
who no-doubt helped get them into this lorry.
"The group had already spent several hours in sub-zero
conditions when Border Force officers discovered them. They had no
way of getting out.
"If the lorry had carried on unchecked then this could've had
fatal consequences, especially for the children."
The five taken to hospital were later given the all-clear by
doctors and were handed over to the French authorities, along with
the remaining two stowaways.
The group, four Afghans and three Iranians, were found at around
10am on Friday.
05/02/13
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