Europe

Austria police find dehydrated children in migrant lorry

Trio discovered after truck containing 26 refugees was stopped near German border

Flowers and candles at the side of motorway where a group of migrants were found dead in a truck in Austria. Austrian police have discovered another lorry containing three children in a critical condition. Photograph: Herbert P Oczeret/EPA

Sat Aug 29 2015 - 17:19

Three young children were found in a critical condition due to dehydration on Friday after police in Austria stopped a truck containing 26 refugees, Austrian news agency APA reported on Saturday.

The truck, with refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Bangladesh crammed in the back, was stopped in the small town of St Peter am Hart, close to the German border, APA said, quoting local police.

“It was a very close call,” David Furtner, from the Austrian police, was quoted as saying, adding that the children had been dizzy due to dehydration in the hot truck.

“Medical staff told us they would not have made it much longer.”

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Driver arrested

The 29-year-old Romanian driver was arrested, while the children and their parents were taken to the hospital in the nearby town of Braunau.

The discovery comes after 71 refugees were found dead in an abandoned truckon an Austrian highway on Thursday.

Reuters

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