On 18 June 2000, just before midnight, 58 dead bodies were found in a lorry in the port town of Dover, United Kingdom. Two people were found alive but injured and taken to hospital.
The Dutch lorry came from a ferry that had arrived from Zeebrugge in Belgium. It was selected for examination by officers from HM Customs & Excise who then called the police and ambulance service. It was determined that the deceased were illegal immigrants, and likely died of asphyxiation, though carbon monoxide poisoning was not ruled out. The 60 people were trapped in the container for more than 18 hours, when the outside temperature reached 32 °C (90 °F). The survivors were found closest to the doors.[1]
Casualtiesedit
It was confirmed by police that all the deceased were Chinese immigrants, 54 men and 4 women. The incident was one of the largest mass killings in British criminal history,[2] and the largest involving irregular immigrants entering the United Kingdom, the second being Essex lorry deaths, where all 39 Vietnamese immigrants were found dead in a truck in Essex.[1][3][4] The 60 Chinese had paid £20,000 each. They were flown from Beijing to Belgrade, then driven to Zeebrugge.[5]
Investigation and prosecutionedit
The trailer was owned by a newly formed Dutch haulage company, 'Van Der Spek Transporten', which had been registered days before the incident.[1] A similarly named, legitimate, Dutch haulage company was not involved.[6] The driver of the lorry was Perry Wacker, 33, of Rotterdam. Wacker was arrested at the scene and, in 2001, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for manslaughter[7] for his part in an organised people smuggling operation, coordinated by a Chinese snakehead gang. He was also found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate the entry of irregular immigrants.
The two survivors were initially hospitalised with extreme dehydration;[1] they were subsequently given conditional leave to remain in Britain for four years.[2]
^ abcdHyland, Julie (21 June 2000). "58 Chinese migrants found dead in lorry at Dover, Britain". wsws.org. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^ abcKelso, Paul (6 April 2001). "Driver of lorry in which 58 Chinese died gets 14 years". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^Reid, Tim: 'They banged on the door and screamed in vain' 20 June 2000 The Irish Independent. Retrieved 29 October 2019
^"Dover victims fought for air". BBC. 23 June 2000. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^Warning over 'Snakehead' smuggling gangs as police try to identify 39 Chinese dead found in lorry 24 October 2019 telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2019
^ abClements, Joan (19 June 2000). "Terror inside the lorry of death". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^ ab"14 years for Dover tragedy lorry driver". The Guardian. 5 April 2001. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^"58 dead in port lorry". BBC. 19 June 2000. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^"Chinese human smugglers jailed". BBC. 27 June 2003. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^"Smuggled immigrants 'promised flights'". BBC. 2 March 2001. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^"Dutch trucker found guilty in deaths of 58 Chinese immigrants". Arizona Daily Sun. 4 April 2001.
dover, lorry, deaths, june, 2000, just, before, midnight, dead, bodies, were, found, lorry, port, town, dover, united, kingdom, people, were, found, alive, injured, taken, hospital, port, dover, 2004date, june, 2000location, dover, kent, united, kingdomcause, . On 18 June 2000 just before midnight 58 dead bodies were found in a lorry in the port town of Dover United Kingdom Two people were found alive but injured and taken to hospital Dover lorry deathsThe Port of Dover in 2004Date 18 June 2000Location Dover Kent United KingdomCause of death Carbon monoxide poisoning asphyxiaFatalities 58Survivors 2Perpetrator Perry WackerMapShow map of KentShow map of EnglandShow map of the United KingdomLocation in Britain Contents 1 Incident 2 Casualties 3 Investigation and prosecution 4 Survivors 5 See also 6 ReferencesIncident editThe Dutch lorry came from a ferry that had arrived from Zeebrugge in Belgium It was selected for examination by officers from HM Customs amp Excise who then called the police and ambulance service It was determined that the deceased were illegal immigrants and likely died of asphyxiation though carbon monoxide poisoning was not ruled out The 60 people were trapped in the container for more than 18 hours when the outside temperature reached 32 C 90 F The survivors were found closest to the doors 1 Casualties editIt was confirmed by police that all the deceased were Chinese immigrants 54 men and 4 women The incident was one of the largest mass killings in British criminal history 2 and the largest involving irregular immigrants entering the United Kingdom the second being Essex lorry deaths where all 39 Vietnamese immigrants were found dead in a truck in Essex 1 3 4 The 60 Chinese had paid 20 000 each They were flown from Beijing to Belgrade then driven to Zeebrugge 5 Investigation and prosecution editThe trailer was owned by a newly formed Dutch haulage company Van Der Spek Transporten which had been registered days before the incident 1 A similarly named legitimate Dutch haulage company was not involved 6 The driver of the lorry was Perry Wacker 33 of Rotterdam Wacker was arrested at the scene and in 2001 was sentenced to 14 years in prison for manslaughter 7 for his part in an organised people smuggling operation coordinated by a Chinese snakehead gang He was also found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate the entry of irregular immigrants In 2003 nine Chinese gang members were jailed in the Netherlands for their part in the tragedy 2 6 7 8 9 10 11 Survivors editThe two survivors were initially hospitalised with extreme dehydration 1 they were subsequently given conditional leave to remain in Britain for four years 2 See also edit2004 Morecambe Bay cockling disaster Burgenland corpses discovery Essex lorry deaths Mozambique people smuggling disaster Ranong human smuggling incident List of migrant vehicle incidents in EuropeReferences edit a b c d Hyland Julie 21 June 2000 58 Chinese migrants found dead in lorry at Dover Britain wsws org Retrieved 26 October 2019 a b c Kelso Paul 6 April 2001 Driver of lorry in which 58 Chinese died gets 14 years The Guardian Retrieved 26 October 2019 Reid Tim They banged on the door and screamed in vain 20 June 2000 The Irish Independent Retrieved 29 October 2019 Dover victims fought for air BBC 23 June 2000 Retrieved 26 October 2019 Warning over Snakehead smuggling gangs as police try to identify 39 Chinese dead found in lorry 24 October 2019 telegraph co uk Retrieved 26 October 2019 a b Clements Joan 19 June 2000 Terror inside the lorry of death The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 26 October 2019 a b 14 years for Dover tragedy lorry driver The Guardian 5 April 2001 Retrieved 26 October 2019 58 dead in port lorry BBC 19 June 2000 Retrieved 26 October 2019 Chinese human smugglers jailed BBC 27 June 2003 Retrieved 26 October 2019 Smuggled immigrants promised flights BBC 2 March 2001 Retrieved 26 October 2019 Dutch trucker found guilty in deaths of 58 Chinese immigrants Arizona Daily Sun 4 April 2001 51 7 15 3 N 1 18 47 2 E 51 120917 N 1 313111 E 51 120917 1 313111 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dover lorry deaths amp oldid 1179324573, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
