Nightmare Journey Across Two Continents

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div id="articleIconLinksContainer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; height: 52px; margin: 10px 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 2px 0px 0px;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;" x-created-in="cc"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moment 35 Afghan Sikhs were freed from 'metal coffin': Screaming stowaways are helped by police who are now hunting international network of people smugglers who brought them to Britain</span></span></h1> <ul class="article-summary news mol-bullets-with-font" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <li class="" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;">International manhunt continues for traffickers who crammed 35 immigrants into container bound for Port of Tilbury</span></li> <li class="" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;">Disturbing footage showed migrants crawling helplessly on the floor, while harrowing screams echo around the docks </span></li> <li class="" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;">13 children, including a baby, and adults up to the age of 72 - including a man in his 40s who died - were among group</span></li> <li class="" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Police have begun to question some of the immigrants - Belgian officials are 'very hopeful' they can track down driver </b></li> <li class="" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Officers have said it would have been 'impossible' for the group to have been loaded into the container at Zeebrugge </b></li> <li class="" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Spokesman Peter De Waele said each container is captured on camera and the seals are under strict security controls</b></li> <li class="" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Essex Police have confirmed all of those inside the unit were Sikhs from Afghanistan - four remain in hospital</b></li> </ul> </div> <div id="articleIconLinksContainer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; height: 52px; margin: 10px 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 2px 0px 0px;"> <br /></div> <div id="articleIconLinksContainer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; height: 52px; margin: 10px 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 2px 0px 0px;"> <br /></div> <div id="articleIconLinksContainer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; height: 52px; margin: 10px 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 2px 0px 0px;"> <br /></div> <div id="articleIconLinksContainer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; height: 52px; margin: 10px 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 2px 0px 0px;"> <br /></div> <div id="articleIconLinksContainer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; height: 52px; margin: 10px 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 2px 0px 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div id="articleIconLinksContainer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; height: 52px; margin: 10px 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 2px 0px 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An international manhunt was continuing last night for the traffickers and lorry driver who tried to smuggle 35 desperate Afghan Sikhs into Britain in a shipping container that became a ‘metal coffin’.</span></div> <div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Full details of the horrifying incident have emerged in a video of the moment 34 of the migrants – including 13 children – were rescued.</span></div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The footage shows them weak and confused after their wailing and banging alerted rescuers at the port of Tilbury, Essex, on Saturday morning.</span></div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They were pulled sobbing from the sealed container in which they had been left to suffocate, but not before one of the migrants died.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Scroll down for video </span></div> <div class="clear" style="border: 0px !important; clear: both; float: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: auto;"> </div> <div id="ext-gen189" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="An international manhunt was continuing last night for the traffickers and lorry driver who tried to smuggle 35 desperate Afghan Sikhs into Britain in a shipping container that became a 'metal coffin'" class="blkBorder img-share" data-track-pos="0" height="1265" id="i-dd20ed61f2536bc3" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/17/article-2727144-209A0AFE00000578-877_964x1265.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="964" /></span><br /> <div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; display: table; height: 36px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;"> <div class="mobile-gallery-icon" style="background-image: url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/furniture/mobile/icon_camera_90x68.png); background-position: 10px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 27px; box-sizing: content-box; display: table-cell; float: none; height: 20px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 7px 10px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 24px;"> </div> <span style="display: table-cell; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">+11</span></span></div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some of the survivors, aged from one to 72, were so dehydrated that they had to be lifted out by police.</span></div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Others could be seen sitting dazed on the pavement as paramedics treated the most severely injured. Most of the survivors were discharged from hospitals yesterday and taken to a reception centre where they were questioned by police and Border Force officials through interpreters.</span></div> <div class="relatedItemsTopBorder" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2727144/Tilbury-container-mystery-Belgian-police-comb-CCTV-track-driver-reveal-35-immigrants-Afghanistan-probably-inside-metal-coffin-reached-Zeebrugge.html#ixzz3AiwX97bA" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2727144/Tilbury-container-mystery-Belgian-police-comb-CCTV-track-driver-reveal-35-immigrants-Afghanistan-probably-inside-metal-coffin-reached-Zeebrugge.html#ixzz3AiwX97bA</a><br />Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=MailOnline" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@MailOnline on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=DailyMail" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">DailyMail on Facebook</a></span><br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div class="relatedItems" data-track-module="am-related_items^related_items" data-track-pos="static" data-track-selector="a:not([class*=external])" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <ul style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: black; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">(<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2723696/Unemployment-plummets-132-000-just-2-million-pay-FALLS-0-2-time-five-years.html" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Migrants take four jobs for every one that goes to a Briton: Unemployment tumbles by 132,000 in three months</a>)</span></li> </ul> </div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Callous people-traffickers had crammed the migrants – all from Afghanistan’s beleaguered Sikh community – into the container packed with crates of cleaning chemicals and put it on a P&O cargo ferry from the Belgium port of Zeebrugge on Friday night before fleeing.</span></div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Police have launched a murder inquiry and are working with Interpol in a bid to track down the gang.</span></div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Officers in Belgium are studying CCTV images of the lorry in an attempt to find the driver to establish if he was involved in the operation or was unaware of his human cargo.</span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="In the disturbing footage, the immigrants - now confirmed as Afghan Sikhs - can be seen crawling helplessly around the floor, while harrowing screams echo around the dock" class="blkBorder img-share" data-track-pos="2" height="521" id="i-9f91788a6ebefa83" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/17/article-2727144-2099528E00000578-243_964x521.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="964" /></span></div> <div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; display: table; height: 36px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;"> <div class="mobile-gallery-icon" style="background-image: url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/furniture/mobile/icon_camera_90x68.png); background-position: 10px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 27px; box-sizing: content-box; display: table-cell; float: none; height: 20px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 7px 10px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 24px;"> </div> <span style="display: table-cell; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">+11</span></span></div> </div> <div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the disturbing footage, the immigrants - now confirmed as Afghan Sikhs - can be seen crawling helplessly around the floor, while harrowing screams echo around the dock</span></div> </div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="floatRHS art-ins news" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 20px; min-height: 50px; padding: 0px; width: 308px;"> <h3 class="wocc" style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 5px;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>ECHO OF TOMATO LORRY TRAGEDY</b></span></span></h3> <div class="ins cleared xolcc bdrcc" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 170, 210); margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 4px;"> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This incident has chilling echoes of a tragedy 14 years ago in which 58 Chinese stowaways died on the way from Belgium to Britain. </span></div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Customs officers discovered the bodies of 54 men and four women in the back of a tomato lorry which arrived in Dover on June 18, 2000.  The migrants had suffocated after their air vent was closed. </span></div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Driver Perry Wacker was jailed for 14 years for manslaughter.</span></div> </div> </div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A Belgian police spokesman said it was impossible for the migrants to have climbed into the container while it was sitting in the port as it was there for only an hour and the area is covered extensively by CCTV.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">‘It was around 6pm so it wasn’t dark,’ he said. ‘We think that the possibility [is that] the victims were already on the container before it was put down in Zeebrugge.’ </span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said investigators have been combing CCTV and are 'very hopeful' that they can track down the driver and company of the vehicle that deposited the container.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mr De Waele added each container is captured on camera and their seals are subject to 'very strict' controls.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">His officers were working closely with Essex police, he added, and he described tackling human trafficking as a 'priority' in Belgium.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One report claimed yesterday that the stowaways spent nine days locked inside before they were found. Police believe a second container with 12 people inside is still to be found, the report claimed.</span></div> <div class="clear" style="border: 0px !important; clear: both; float: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: auto;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2727144/Tilbury-container-mystery-Belgian-police-comb-CCTV-track-driver-reveal-35-immigrants-Afghanistan-probably-inside-metal-coffin-reached-Zeebrugge.html#ixzz3Aiw2UPbd" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2727144/Tilbury-container-mystery-Belgian-police-comb-CCTV-track-driver-reveal-35-immigrants-Afghanistan-probably-inside-metal-coffin-reached-Zeebrugge.html#ixzz3Aiw2UPbd</a><br />Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=MailOnline" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@MailOnline on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=DailyMail" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">DailyMail on Facebook</a></span><br /> <br /> <div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Essex police have confirmed the group included nine men and eight women aged between 18 and 72, as well as 13 children, aged between one and 12 years old.</span></div> <div class="clear" style="border: 0px !important; clear: both; float: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: auto;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="Thirty of those found in the container have been released from local hospitals while four of the remaining victims continue to be treated at South Hospital. They are expected to be discharged by tomorrow" class="blkBorder img-share" data-track-pos="5" height="519" id="i-e546d58a65e1f183" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/17/article-2727144-2099528800000578-234_964x519.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="964" /></span><br /> <div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-position: 0% 50%; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; display: table; height: 36px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;"> <div class="mobile-gallery-icon" style="background-image: url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/furniture/mobile/icon_camera_90x68.png); background-position: 10px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 27px; box-sizing: content-box; display: table-cell; float: none; height: 20px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 7px 10px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 24px;"> </div> <span style="display: table-cell; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">+11</span></span></div> </div> <div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thirty of those found in the container have been released from local hospitals while four of the remaining victims continue to be treated at South Hospital. They are expected to be discharged by tomorrow</span></div> </div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Zeebrugge has become a popular port for people smugglers because of its size and regular cargo ferry crossings to Britain.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The number of ‘clandestine illegal entry attempts’ by migrants trying to get to the UK via ports in Belgium and France increased last year to 18,000 from about 11,000 the year before, according UK Border Agency figures.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Tilbury container had been loaded from a lorry on to P&O’s Norstream ferry at Zeebrugge on Friday at 9.20pm. The ship arrived in Essex at around 6am on Saturday.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The alarm was raised some half an hour later when the desperate pleas for help were heard. An immediate search was ordered of the other 50 containers on the ferry in case any more migrants were on board.</span></div> <div class="mol-img-group xwArtSplitter" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="mol-img" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="Dock workers made the shocking discovery at 6.37am on Saturday morning after they heard 'screaming and banging' coming from inside one of the ship's containers  " class="blkBorder img-share" data-track-pos="6" height="644" id="i-cf775d85ff570f7b" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/17/1408279623663_wps_5_tilbury_grasphic_2_jpg.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="962" /></span><br /> <div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; display: table; height: 36px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;"> <div class="mobile-gallery-icon" style="background-image: url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/furniture/mobile/icon_camera_90x68.png); background-position: 10px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 27px; box-sizing: content-box; display: table-cell; float: none; height: 20px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 7px 10px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 24px;"> </div> <span style="display: table-cell; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">+11</span></span></div> </div> </div> <div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dock workers made the shocking discovery at 6.37am on Saturday morning after they heard 'screaming and banging' coming from inside one of the ship's containers  </span></div> </div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Superintendent Trevor Roe, of Essex Police, said: ‘We have had a good deal of help from partners within the local Sikh community in the Tilbury area to ensure that these poor people, who would have been through a horrific ordeal, are supported in terms of their religious and clothing needs.’ </span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Stephen Metcalfe, Conservative MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, said: ‘The fact that so many people appear to have travelled so far and are so desperate to get into the UK – either on their own or being trafficked – is really sad.’</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Migrants in France and Belgium typically pay gangs about £1,500 each to be smuggled into Britain.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They have often travelled from their home countries by land via Turkey before being herded into UK-bound containers.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Alternatively, some are flown to Moscow on fake visas before being driven across Eastern Europe.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Supt Roe added: 'Now they are well enough, our officers and colleagues from the Border Force will be speaking to them via interpreters so we can piece together what happened and how they came to be in the container.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'We now understand that they are from Afghanistan and are of the Sikh faith. Members of the Sikh community in Thurrock, Essex, are helping support the victims alongside the Red Cross.'</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thirty people had been released from local hospitals by last night to a reception centre at the Port of Tilbury. The four remaining victims were continuing to be treated at Southend Hospital where they were expected to remain last night.</span></div> <div class="moduleFull mol-video" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="item" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <div class="news x-wide video_carousel_container" data-track-module="vm-3733343443001^extra_wide" data-track-pos="static" data-track-selector="a.videoLink" data-track-type="cl" id="p-30" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; width: 964px;"> <div class="videoplayer-large" id="v-3733343443001" style="float: left; height: 358px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; overflow-y: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 636px;"> <a class="videoLink" data-channel="news" data-freewheelid="" data-source="ITN" data-videoid="3733343443001" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2727144/Tilbury-container-mystery-Belgian-police-comb-CCTV-track-driver-reveal-35-immigrants-Afghanistan-probably-inside-metal-coffin-reached-Zeebrugge.html#v-3733343443001" id="ext-gen73" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a><br /> <div class="videoplayer-title-bg" style="box-shadow: rgb(51, 51, 51) 0px 3px 5px; height: 26px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 636px;"> </div> <a class="videoLink" data-channel="news" data-freewheelid="" data-source="ITN" data-videoid="3733343443001" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2727144/Tilbury-container-mystery-Belgian-police-comb-CCTV-track-driver-reveal-35-immigrants-Afghanistan-probably-inside-metal-coffin-reached-Zeebrugge.html#v-3733343443001" id="ext-gen73" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></a></div> </div> </div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2727144/Tilbury-container-mystery-Belgian-police-comb-CCTV-track-driver-reveal-35-immigrants-Afghanistan-probably-inside-metal-coffin-reached-Zeebrugge.html#ixzz3AivdGNpH" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2727144/Tilbury-container-mystery-Belgian-police-comb-CCTV-track-driver-reveal-35-immigrants-Afghanistan-probably-inside-metal-coffin-reached-Zeebrugge.html#ixzz3AivdGNpH</a><br />Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=MailOnline" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@MailOnline on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=DailyMail" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">DailyMail on Facebook</a></span><br /> <br /> <div class="mol-img-group xwArtSplitter" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="mol-img" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="A spokesman for the Belgian Police has said it would be 'impossible' for the group of illegal immigrants to have boarded the vessel (pictured at Tilbury Docks yesterday) at Zeebrugge as the seals on the co" class="blkBorder img-share" data-track-pos="7" height="644" id="i-c08f2aa18f7067b" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/17/1408279623686_wps_7_Saturday_16_08_2014_n_nTh.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="962" /></span><br /> <div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-position: 0% 50%; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; display: table; height: 36px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;"> <div class="mobile-gallery-icon" style="background-image: url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/furniture/mobile/icon_camera_90x68.png); background-position: 10px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 27px; box-sizing: content-box; display: table-cell; float: none; height: 20px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 7px 10px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 24px;"> </div> <span style="display: table-cell; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">+11</span></span></div> </div> </div> <div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A Belgian police spokesman said it would be 'impossible' for the illegal immigrants to have boarded the vessel (pictured at Tilbury Docks yesterday) at Zeebrugge</span></div> </div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></div> <div class="art-ins mol-factbox news" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 50px; padding: 0px;"> <h3 class="wocc" style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">AFGHAN SIKHS: THE COMMUNITY DISPLACED BY CONFLICT  </span></span></h3> <div class="ins cleared xolcc bdrcc" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 170, 210); margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 4px;"> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sikhs are a tiny minority in Afghanistan with only 3,000 members of the community in a population of 31 million.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Most of them are said to have migrated to other countries including India, Canada, Germany and Britain.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Their mass exodus began when the mujahideen came to power in 1992, following the Soviet withdrawal from the country and the collapse of the communist Najibullah regime.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Until the civil war, they, along with Hindus and Jews, controlled money markets in major towns including Kabul, Jalalabad and Kandahar.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But when the conflict began, gurudwaras around the country were destroyed and many were forced to flee.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When the Taliban ruled the country in 2001, the Sikhs were forced to wear yellow tags, and the women were made to wear veils.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In 2009, a spokesman for the Hindu-Sikh Society in Afghanistan, Daya Singh Anjaa, told RFI (Radio France Internationale) that the group are now impoverished and are struggling to find a place in Afghan society.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There is a community of Afghan Sikhs in London who maintain a gurudwara in Southall.</span></div> <div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Source: Radio France Internationale</span></div> </div> </div> <div class="mol-img-group xwArtSplitter" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="mol-img" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="Two police officers stand next to an ambulance at the gates of Tilbury Docks yesterday morning after dock workers made the shocking discovery " class="blkBorder img-share" data-track-pos="8" height="655" id="i-999b44017b29f48c" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/17/1408279623675_wps_6_An_ambulance_van_drives_i.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="962" /></span><br /> <div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; display: table; height: 36px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;"> <div class="mobile-gallery-icon" style="background-image: url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/furniture/mobile/icon_camera_90x68.png); background-position: 10px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 27px; box-sizing: content-box; display: table-cell; float: none; height: 20px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 7px 10px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 24px;"> </div> <span style="display: table-cell; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">+11</span></span></div> </div> </div> <div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Two police officers stand next to an ambulance at the gates of Tilbury Docks yesterday morning after dock workers made the shocking discovery </span></div> </div> <div class="mol-img-group xwArtSplitter" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="mol-img" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="An ambulance enters the Essex port following the incident. The stowaways were treated for severe dehydration and hypothermia after they were found " class="blkBorder img-share" data-track-pos="9" height="673" id="i-65d8bd9965654f66" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/17/1408279689360_wps_9_London_News_Pictures_16_0.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="962" /></span><br /> <div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; display: table; height: 36px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;"> <div class="mobile-gallery-icon" style="background-image: url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/furniture/mobile/icon_camera_90x68.png); background-position: 10px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 27px; box-sizing: content-box; display: table-cell; float: none; height: 20px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 7px 10px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 24px;"> </div> <span style="display: table-cell; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">+11</span></span></div> </div> </div> <div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An ambulance enters the Essex port following the incident. The stowaways were treated for severe dehydration and hypothermia after they were found </span></div> </div> <div class="mol-img-group xwArtSplitter" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="mol-img" style="margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="image-wrap fff-pic" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="The A&E department of Basildon University Hospital in Essex was closed off as a 'decontamination area' as the suspected immigrants were treated " class="blkBorder img-share" data-track-pos="10" height="652" id="i-39bc8a99fb9d8f" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/17/1408279759147_wps_11_16_August_2014_nLocation_.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="962" /></span><br /> <div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; display: table; height: 36px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;"> <div class="mobile-gallery-icon" style="background-image: url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/furniture/mobile/icon_camera_90x68.png); background-position: 10px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 27px; box-sizing: content-box; display: table-cell; float: none; height: 20px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 7px 10px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 24px;"> </div> <span style="display: table-cell; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">+11</span></span></div> </div> </div> <div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The A&E department of Basildon University Hospital in Essex was closed off as a 'decontamination area' as the suspected immigrants were treated </span></div> </div> </div>

Nightmare Journey Across Two Continents

Moment 35 Afghan Sikhs were freed from 'metal coffin': Screaming stowaways are helped by police who are now hunting international...

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