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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Tilbury Docks ship death stowaways claim asylum in UK | Tilbury Docks ship death stowaways claim asylum in UK |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A group of people from Afghanistan rescued from a shipping container in Essex are claiming asylum in the UK, the Home Office has said. | A group of people from Afghanistan rescued from a shipping container in Essex are claiming asylum in the UK, the Home Office has said. |
| Thirty-five people, including 15 children, were found at Tilbury Docks on Saturday. One man was found dead. | Thirty-five people, including 15 children, were found at Tilbury Docks on Saturday. One man was found dead. |
| The remaining four migrants who were being treated in hospital for the effects of severe dehydration and hypothermia were released earlier. | The remaining four migrants who were being treated in hospital for the effects of severe dehydration and hypothermia were released earlier. |
| A Home Office spokesman said their cases were currently being considered. | A Home Office spokesman said their cases were currently being considered. |
| Essex Police have named the dead man as Meet Singh Kapoor, who was 40 years old. | Essex Police have named the dead man as Meet Singh Kapoor, who was 40 years old. |
| Initial post-mortem tests have proved inconclusive, officials said. Police are carrying out a homicide investigation into his death. | Initial post-mortem tests have proved inconclusive, officials said. Police are carrying out a homicide investigation into his death. |
| 'Horrendous ordeal' | 'Horrendous ordeal' |
| The group arrived in the UK on Saturday on a ship from Belgium and were said by police to be victims of "people trafficking". | The group arrived in the UK on Saturday on a ship from Belgium and were said by police to be victims of "people trafficking". |
| They were discovered after dock workers heard banging and screaming coming from one of the containers. | They were discovered after dock workers heard banging and screaming coming from one of the containers. |
| The 34 survivors include 10 men, nine women and 15 children, with their ages ranging from one to 72. | The 34 survivors include 10 men, nine women and 15 children, with their ages ranging from one to 72. |
| They are all in the care of the Home Office after being questioned by police. | They are all in the care of the Home Office after being questioned by police. |
| A spokesman said: "Following the conclusion of police interviews, the individuals involved have now been passed into our care. | A spokesman said: "Following the conclusion of police interviews, the individuals involved have now been passed into our care. |
| "All 34 are now in the process of claiming asylum in the UK and we are providing accommodation and support to those who require it while their cases are considered. | "All 34 are now in the process of claiming asylum in the UK and we are providing accommodation and support to those who require it while their cases are considered. |
| "The UK takes its international obligations extremely seriously and has a proud history of offering protection to those who need it." | "The UK takes its international obligations extremely seriously and has a proud history of offering protection to those who need it." |
| Supt Trevor Roe, of Essex Police, said: "These people were found in an awful situation and our main priority is to look after them and ensure they are now safe following what would have been a horrendous ordeal." | Supt Trevor Roe, of Essex Police, said: "These people were found in an awful situation and our main priority is to look after them and ensure they are now safe following what would have been a horrendous ordeal." |
| Belgian police said they believed the stowaways were already in the container when it left Zeebrugge for Tilbury on Friday evening. | |
| Kamaljit Singh Mataharu, a translator used by police, was hosting a birthday party in Grays when he received a call to help. | |
| He said the group told him they believed they would have died if they remained trapped in the container for another 30 minutes and they had no idea where they were. | |
| "They were banging on the container walls to attract attention," he said. |