Migrants Trapped in Refrigerated Lorry for Hours in Bid to Reach UK or Ireland
Six women, including four from Vietnam and two from Iraq, were rescued from the back of a refrigerated food lorry in northern France after one of them sent a distress message to a BBC reporter. The women had hidden in the lorry, which was filled with boxes of bananas, hoping to reach the UK or Ireland. However, after realising the truck was heading in the opposite direction, they became increasingly frightened and desperate in the cold, cramped, and dark conditions.
One of the women managed to contact Khue B Luu, a BBC reporter based in London, and sent a series of distress texts. “It’s so cold, it [the cooler] keeps blowing,” she wrote, explaining that the lorry doors had been sealed and they were trapped. The woman also sent a video where one of the women was heard saying, “I can’t breathe,” as they sat on the floor surrounded by boxes, visibly panicking.
Using the location shared by the woman, the reporter was able to pinpoint the lorry’s location on the E15 highway near Dracé, just north of Lyon, and alert French authorities. Police intercepted the truck while the driver, who was unaware of the women in his cargo hold, also called the police after hearing strange noises coming from the trailer.
The lorry was found to be at a chilling 6°C inside, but fortunately, none of the women had any health issues. French authorities detained them for being in the country illegally but released them shortly after. Four of the women were given 30 days to leave France, while the other two were allowed to stay to apply for asylum.
This incident underscores the ongoing perilous journeys faced by migrants attempting to reach the UK. Every year, thousands of migrants attempt to cross the Channel by hiding in lorries or attempting dangerous crossings by boat. The incident also serves as a tragic reminder of the risks, as in 2019, 39 Vietnamese migrants suffocated in a lorry on their way to England, having paid human smugglers large sums of money for the dangerous passage.
