Group of Vietnamese women rescued in refrigerated truck in France

Six women, including four Vietnamese, were rescued by French police in a refrigerated truck after sending a text message asking for help.

French police announced that they stopped a refrigerated truck on September 27 on the E15 highway near Drace, north of Lyon, and discovered six women, including four Vietnamese and two Iraqis, in a narrow container filled with bananas, BBC reported on September 28.

Laetitia Francart, prosecutor of Villefranche-sur-Saone, north of Lyon, eastern France, said the group of women got into the back of a lorry with Irish plates hoping to reach Britain or Ireland.

However, the truck was only carrying goods to Dunkirk, France, and then headed towards Italy. After checking the location on the map on their phones and discovering that the truck was going in the opposite direction, the group of women panicked.

Video of migrants pleading for help in refrigerated truck in France

Image of inside the refrigerated truck sent to BBC reporter by the person calling for help. Video: BBC

One of the group had the phone number of a BBC reporter in London and sent a distress message around mid-day on 27 September.

“It’s so cold in here. The air conditioning is blowing constantly,” she said, describing the freezer door as being locked with a metal latch. She attached two short videos, in which she can be heard saying “I can’t breathe.”

The woman who called for help shared her GPS location, which helped the reporter identify the lorry as being on the E15 motorway. The BBC reporter contacted colleagues and French authorities for assistance.

The truck driver also suspected that there were people in the freezer, after hearing what sounded like human voices. The driver stopped the truck and alerted the police. Authorities rescued the women after they had been trapped in the truck for more than 10 hours.

Location of Lyon, France. Graphic: Britannica

The freezer had a temperature of 6 degrees Celsius when it was opened. The health of the six women inside was stable. France then asked four to leave the country within 30 days, while the remaining two were allowed to stay and wait to apply for asylum, but did not specify.

French authorities have opened an investigation into suspected human trafficking. The driver has been detained for questioning, but prosecutors say he is not suspected of any crime.

According to the Evening Standard , every year thousands of immigrants seeking a better life try to illegally cross the English Channel between England and France. They often hide in the backs of trucks or take small boats.

French authorities during an immigration control operation in La Turbie, southeastern France in November 2020. Photo: AFP

Nhu Tam (According to BBC, Guardian )

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/nhom-phu-nu-viet-duoc-giai-cuu-trong-thung-xe-dong-lanh-o-phap-4658697.html