Police launch homicide investigation

over container death

Police launch a homicide investigation as a man dies after 35 suspected immigrants are found in a shipping container
at the Port of Tilbury in Essex.
SATU!A" #$ AU%UST &'#(
Superintendent Trevor o)e said the sto)a)ays* both adults and children*
)ere found in a container that arrived on a P+, ferry from -eebrugge in
.elgium at about $.3'am.
,ne man died and the others )ere ta/en to three hospitals.
0r o)e said1 2All )e /no) at the moment is that )e believe them to come
from the 3ndian subcontinent* but it is still early days.23t is a homicide
investigation from the police point of vie) at this time.2
The group )as discovered after port sta4 heard 2screaming and banging2
coming from a container* he added.
5e said there )ere about 5' containers on the ferry and searches )ere
continuing to establish )hether any others contained people.
5e said1 2This is a humanitarian issue and the )elfare of these patients is a
priority.2
6Screaming and banging6
0r o)e said a 2ma7or incident2 )as declared at the port at $.38am this
morning.
5e said1 2Sta4 here at the port became a)are of screaming and banging
coming from a container coming from that particular ferry. As a result of
that noise* sta4 )ere alerted and immediately breached the container to
9nd 35 persons )ithin that unit.2
The group consisted of adults and children of both genders.
The :orstream )as described as a 2roll;on* roll;o42 container ferry.
0r o)e said1 23t is a regular route here t)ice a day from -eebrugge.2
0r o)e added1 2There are 5' containers on that ferry )hich )e are
continuing to obviously open and explore to ma/e sure that there are no
further incumbents )ithin those containers* )hich is a concern.2
Searching other containers
So far almost 3' of the 5' containers on the ferry have been searched.
2That is the priority issue here at the moment ; to ma/e sure that there are
no other containers on that particular ship that may or may not contain any
persons*2 0r o)e said.
The unit in <uestion )as around the si=e routinely carried by a large heavy
goods vehicle.
0r o)e said that once the door on the container )as opened those inside
)ere extracted 2very <uic/ly2.
esponding to a <uestion about )here the container came from and its
movements prior to arrival at Tilbury* 0r o)e said1 2There are 5'
containers* that particular container )ill be the sub7ect of a criminal
investigation so )e )ouldn6t disclose those details at this time.2
.ritish authorities are understood to be liaising )ith their counterparts in
.elgium as part of the investigation into the container6s origins.
6.ring them to 7ustice6
0r o)e said1 23t is a homicide investigation... )e )ill be loo/ing to see
)here the origin and the gangs or )hoever may >be? involved in this
conspiracy to bring these people in this )ay over to this country.
2@learly )e need to try and bring them to 7ustice.2
As/ed to clarify the nature of the homicide investigation* police said
charges could include murder and manslaughter* although there )as no
suggestion anyone on the container )as a suspect.
The superintendent added1 2:othing has been ruled out. Ae need to spea/
to the people in the container* )here they have come from* )hat their
motivation is and )ho6s involved.2
5e said there )as no indication of those on board su4ering )ith a speci9c
virus* but said tests )ere being carried out at hospital.Public 5ealth England
has said it )as not involved in the response to* investigation of or anything
to do )ith the incident.
A spo/es)oman said1 23f it )as ebola* health care professionals are so alert
at the moment to signs and symptoms that should there have been anyone
)ho )as sho)ing symptoms )e )ould have been noti9ed immediately.
Set to intervie) sto)a)ays
23 thin/ )e can be con9dent that )e are not dealing )ith that.2
,Bcials are set to intervie) the sto)a)ays at a reception centre after they
are released from hospital.
Police said there are 2language issues2 and interpreters )ill be brought in.
!aniel %ore* from the East England ambulance service* said paramedics
arrived on the scene )ithin ## minutes and immediately declared it a ma7or
incident.
5e said1 23n terms of the number of patients that )e dealt )ith it is 35
patients in total. Unfortunately one of those patients )as declared
deceased at the scene* a male.2
:o information has been released about the ages of any of the sto)a)ays
or the relationship bet)een them.
T)o patients )ere ta/en to .asildon 5ospital in a serious but not life;
threatening condition* 0r %ore added* along )ith #$ other patients
su4ering from dehydration and hypothermia.
All )ith same ailments
:ine patients )ere ta/en to the oyal Condon Ahitechapel hospital and a
further seven to Southend 5ospital* all )ith the same ailments.
All of those found in the container )ere conscious )hen it )as opened apart
from the man )ho subse<uently died.0r %ore said it )as a 2very diBcult
scene2 for the 9rst paramedics arriving at the incident.
5e added1 23n terms of our current and ongoing operation here )e have got
a number of resources still at the scene )hile the containers being removed
from the vessel are being searched.
2Ae have set up an area ad7acent to )here that is ta/ing place so any other
further patients that are found )ill be immediately ta/en to that area*
triaged accordingly and dealt )ith from there.
2.ritish authorities are liaising )ith their counterparts in .elgium.
5otlines set up for concerned relatives
Police have set up a 2casualty bureau2 hotline for anyone concerned about
relatives. The numbers are 'D'' '5$'E(( or '&'8 #5D''#' if dialling from
outside the UF.
P+, Gerries told the Press Association the commercial vessel arrived from
-eebrugge at around $am.
:atalie 5ardy* from the 9rm* said the ship )as scheduled to leave .elgium
last night at #'pm and arrive at Tilbury today at $am* and )as carrying $(
containers* 8& trailers and 9ve lorries and drivers.
0s 5ardy said1 2They >port authorities? found 35 clandestines on a
container in the ferry. They had been in there overnight* because the ship
)as an overnight freight ferry.2
0s 5ardy said the container arrived on the <uay at -eebrugge yesterday at
$.5$pm and )as loaded on to the ferry at D.'8pm.
According to the )ebsite 0arineTraBc.com* the #D'm by &5.5m :orstream
)as built in #EEE and is registered in the :etherlands.
"ves Ce @lef* harbour master at the Port of -eebrugge* said he he had no
information about the incident.
2This is the 9rst 3 have heard*2 he said.
The port6s )ebsite describes it as an 2ideal location to serve the mar/ets of
continental Europe as )ell as the .ritish 3sles2 and the 2main gate)ay to
Europe2.3t says the port6s total cargo traBc has tripled from #( million
tonnes in #ED5 to (3.5 million in &'#&.
Posted by Thavam