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| Migrant crisis: Four arrests over Austria lorry deaths | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hungarian police say they have arrested four people over the discovery of the bodies of 71 migrants, thought to be Syrian, in a lorry in Austria. | |
| Three of those arrested are Bulgarian and one is Afghan. | |
| The victims included 59 men, eight women and four children who are thought to have been dead for about two days. | The victims included 59 men, eight women and four children who are thought to have been dead for about two days. |
| The decomposing bodies were discovered by Austrian police on Thursday morning in the abandoned lorry, near the Hungarian border. | |
| Officials said the victims probably died after suffocating in the vehicle. | |
| The lorry was towed to a customs building with refrigeration facilities where forensic teams worked through the night to examine the bodies. | |
| The group are thought to have been dead when the vehicle crossed into Austria from Hungary. Among the victims was a girl aged between one and two years old. | The group are thought to have been dead when the vehicle crossed into Austria from Hungary. Among the victims was a girl aged between one and two years old. |
| The local police chief said a travel document found on the vehicle suggested that the group were Syrian migrants. | The local police chief said a travel document found on the vehicle suggested that the group were Syrian migrants. |
| "Our preliminary assumption is of course that they were refugees, possibly a group of Syrian refugees," Hans Peter Doskozil, Burgenland province police chief, told reporters. | "Our preliminary assumption is of course that they were refugees, possibly a group of Syrian refugees," Hans Peter Doskozil, Burgenland province police chief, told reporters. |
| What we know about Austria lorry find | What we know about Austria lorry find |
| The vehicle had the branding of a Slovakian poultry company, Hyza, on it but the firm said it no longer owned the vehicle. | The vehicle had the branding of a Slovakian poultry company, Hyza, on it but the firm said it no longer owned the vehicle. |
| Mr Doskozil said it was unusual for people smugglers to use a refrigerated vehicle. | Mr Doskozil said it was unusual for people smugglers to use a refrigerated vehicle. |
| "In our preliminary investigation we found that there was no ventilation possible through the sides of the lorry," he said, adding that the victims had probably suffocated. | "In our preliminary investigation we found that there was no ventilation possible through the sides of the lorry," he said, adding that the victims had probably suffocated. |
| The four arrests took place in Hungary. | The four arrests took place in Hungary. |
| "In addition, police have conducted house searches... and questioned almost 20 people as witnesses," Hungarian police said in a statement (in Hungarian). | "In addition, police have conducted house searches... and questioned almost 20 people as witnesses," Hungarian police said in a statement (in Hungarian). |
| 'Human trafficking operation' | 'Human trafficking operation' |
| Mr Doskozil said one of the Bulgarians arrested is assumed to be the vehicle's owner, while it is "highly likely" the other two are "the ones who drove the vehicle". | Mr Doskozil said one of the Bulgarians arrested is assumed to be the vehicle's owner, while it is "highly likely" the other two are "the ones who drove the vehicle". |
| He said there was "an indication we are talking about a Bulgarian-Hungarian human trafficking operation". | He said there was "an indication we are talking about a Bulgarian-Hungarian human trafficking operation". |
| "If you look at the organisation of people traffickers, these are the lowest two levels of a criminal organisation," he added. | "If you look at the organisation of people traffickers, these are the lowest two levels of a criminal organisation," he added. |
| No details have been given about the Afghan detainee. | No details have been given about the Afghan detainee. |
| The lorry, which has Hungarian number plates, is understood to have left Budapest on Wednesday morning. | The lorry, which has Hungarian number plates, is understood to have left Budapest on Wednesday morning. |
| It is believed to have been parked in the lay-by between Neusiedl and Parndorf for at least 24 hours before police discovered the bodies. | It is believed to have been parked in the lay-by between Neusiedl and Parndorf for at least 24 hours before police discovered the bodies. |
| Tens of thousands of migrants from conflict-hit states in the Middle East and Africa have been trying to make their way to Europe in recent months. | Tens of thousands of migrants from conflict-hit states in the Middle East and Africa have been trying to make their way to Europe in recent months. |
| A record number of 107,500 migrants crossed the EU's borders last month. | A record number of 107,500 migrants crossed the EU's borders last month. |
| Some of them pay large sums of money to people smugglers to get them through borders illegally. | Some of them pay large sums of money to people smugglers to get them through borders illegally. |
| Meanwhile, migrants continue to die as they try to reach Europe via the central Mediterranean route. | Meanwhile, migrants continue to die as they try to reach Europe via the central Mediterranean route. |
| Hundreds of people are feared to have died after two vessels carrying migrants sank off the coast of Libya on Thursday. | Hundreds of people are feared to have died after two vessels carrying migrants sank off the coast of Libya on Thursday. |
| The Turkish city where migrants buy supplies | The Turkish city where migrants buy supplies |
| Why is EU struggling with migrant crisis? | Why is EU struggling with migrant crisis? |
| Are more people on the move than ever before? | Are more people on the move than ever before? |
| Have you been affected by this story? If you wish to contact BBC News, you can do so by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Have you been affected by this story? If you wish to contact BBC News, you can do so by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |