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4th suspect arrested as UK truck deaths case probe deepens

25 Comments
By DANICA KIRKA

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"I'm so sorry mom and dad....My journey abroad doesn't succeed," she wrote. "Mom, I love you and dad very much. I'm dying because I can't breathe .... Mom, I'm so sorry."

What a horrible way to go.

Jail these animals for as long as possible.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

What's wrong with this Global Times of China or whatever it's name is: your Chinese people are running away from tyranny in China, poor future prospects, lack of freedom to pursue their goals and ambitions, etc.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

the party newspaper Global Times said authorities in Britain and elsewhere hadn't done enough to crack down on people smuggling.

Mighty Trump-ian of you China: point the finger away, say otherguys did it.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Absolutely horrendous incident.

I wouldn't like to be a person in position of responsibility that has to decide immigration and refugee policy in light of incidents like these. Do you take the compassionate route and freely open your borders to the multi millions who would like to flee thier struggling countries to find a stable, safe haven in yours? Or do you demand orderly immigration by legal application and waiting in line? Tough choice.

May God care for those who perished.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Interesting thing was apparently one of the Vietnamese had paid 30,000 british pounds to be smuggled into the UK, with that type of money, its surprising she didn't just apply through the legal way.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Chinese citizens risking their lives (and their life-savings) to escape from China; Hong Kong people go on street to protest Chinese rule for 20 weekends consecutively. What does it say about Chinese Communist Party that rule the country for 70 years?

The 25-year-old driver of the truck remains in custody on suspicion of murder.

It's an open question as to whether he simply thought he was picking up to haul a refrigerated trailer. Certainly calling for help is inconsistent with a driver who knew the trailer was with passengers.

Apparently the people smugglers are targeting refrigerated trailers because they are sealed when they go into the port, the ports don't like to risk the chilled/frozen foods by opening them, thermal cameras have trouble detecting people in them - and the generic trailers are often owned by large trailer companies who maintain depots of trailers for people to load, which are then returned to a depot near the destination for re-renting and use.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Are the smugglers intentionally suffocating them or are they really that stupid?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Are the smugglers intentionally suffocating them or are they really that stupid?

Unfortunately, sometimes the illegals are intentionally killed if the smugglers believe that they are about to be caught. Smugglers would rather not leaving any witnesses to testify. The smugglers might lose money, but they usually prefer a loss of money to a loss of freedom.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The driver has been charged with 39 counts of manslaughter and will appear in the Magistrates Court on Monday morning. Four other people are in custody.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Well, as you can see the lure of the Anglo-Saxon countries is quite strong: these countries offer migrants more rights and freedoms, economic opportunities, civil and political rights - including minority rights - than they'd get in their own countries of origin - be it those emigrating from Vietnam, South Korea, Afghnanistan, my fellow continental Africans, Middle Easterners, Latinos, etc!

These poor folks typically want to immigrate to the US, the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand. Their other options are: Japan and Singapore.

Then you have those who will gravitate to their ethnic enclaves in Germany, the Benelux countries or Scandinavia.

Interestingly, whenever I'm in Korea I'm amazed at the number of youth who are so eager to emigrate from their poor job opportunities in Korea and hoping for greener pastures in Japan, Australia, Canada or the US!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This scenario is like something out of a movie.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

That's a shame they tried to smuggle themselves instead of the system.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Interesting thing was apparently one of the Vietnamese had paid 30,000 british pounds to be smuggled into the UK, with that type of money, its surprising she didn't just apply through the legal way.

Agreed, why pay £30,000 for the risk of a death sentence. It would have been a lot safer, and cheaper to legally apply for a visa at the British Embassy in Vietnam.

Had they succeed in in reaching the UK alive, what then? Hiding all the time, or spending time in detention, facing deportation. That's not much of a new life.

These people smugglers were sold a false dream, and the results are shocking. Now these poor people have no life at all.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Interesting thing was apparently one of the Vietnamese had paid 30,000 british pounds to be smuggled into the UK, with that type of money, its surprising she didn't just apply through the legal way.

Because she wasn't eligible for a visa. Have a look at the categories and requirements.

The sad thing is, if these Chinese and Vietnamese manage to get to the UK they are often paid little to no money, so they can't send anything back home. They are slaves. Women and men are forced in prostitution, boys are locke din houses forced to tend the cannabis farms hidden inside, so many women are put to work in the numerous nail bars that are on every High Street. They are in plain sight. Vietnamese trafficking has gone up over 200% in the last year, mostly from an area that has suffered environmental damage and has decimated the fishing/agriculture in the area.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Don't blame the victims.

You would have to be pretty cold to blame the victims for wanting to escape China to get to a place where their freedoms and human rights are respected.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Agreed, why pay £30,000 for the risk of a death sentence. It would have been a lot safer, and cheaper to legally apply for a visa at the British Embassy in Vietnam.

Sometimes, people can't get a visa to enter the country for various non serious reasons. Isn't the current US president attempting to change immigration laws, so only wealthy foreigners can enter?

Unless the person is related to some criminal or committed crimes themselves, I doubt they paid 30,000 pounds upfront. Most likely that is the debt owed to the smugglers to be paid off once they arrive in the country. They will either work at sweatshops that have deals with smugglers, have family members settle the debt or incase of women work it off in brothels.

"I'm so sorry mom and dad....My journey abroad doesn't succeed," she wrote. "Mom, I love you and dad very much. I'm dying because I can't breathe .... Mom, I'm so sorry."

I'm truly saddened by this. I can actually picture this young lady as she types this text like a movie scene.

Illegal immigrants dying in containers in not that uncommon. Most smuggling containers have some kind of special vent to let in air built into them for long travels. Inspectors know this. and they actively look for these vents. That usually means greasing a lot of palms to look the other way. To save money, smugglers try to use regular containers and hope for the best. Making stops along the way and resting for short periods.

Which means they didn't intend to be in there long and someone may have gotten held up somewhere.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Maybe countries offering funding to Vietnam for big projects like Hanoi International Airport might also fund some educational programs for the young Vietnamese?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"No Borders No Deaths, the banner says. Does anyone really think that should be policy?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

However, some Chinese, particularly those with lesser education, continue to be drawn to Europe and North America by the promise of much higher wages than they can earn at home, despite the considerable risks involved.

No doubt many of these work hard in their new country and send support money back home to their impoverished families. So how should western governments handle such heart rending illegal immigration cases? It's a very difficult topic.

I would suggest a combination of western nations crafting compassionate and orderly immigration programs while at the same time helping struggling nations improve the welfare of their citizens through mutually beneficial trade, financial and technological aid, etc.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

There are those willing to risk their lives to enter the UK....lunacy!

I guess that seems the case with some Westerners, but you would have to be a Vietnamese or from most other developing countries to understand, like which they didnt stay in Belgium. Lots and lots of people throughout the world also risk death to get to the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and sometimes even Singapore and formerly Hong Kong. All are former British colonies, and that's no coincidence.

When I first visited japan in the 80s, I remember reading about the arrival of Vietnamese boat people in southern Japan. They immediately requested settlement -- in Australia or the US. They certainly didnt want to stay here.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

The best way for the government to crack down on human trafficking is to simply take over the business. Charging similar fees for temporary work permits might destroy the current human traffickers through far superior competition.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

It seems that In spite of Brexit, there are those willing to risk their lives to enter the UK....lunacy!

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

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