As many as 50 migrants may be dead in truck found on Austrian road: police

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: Thursday, August 27, 2015, 12:53 PM

RONALD ZAK/AP
Police stand in front of a truck parked on the shoulder of the highway A4 near Parndorf south of Vienna, Austria, Thursday, Aug 27, 2015. At least 20 migrants were found dead in the truck parked on the Austrian highway leading from the Hungarian border, police said.

PARNDORF, Austria — Police on Thursday discovered the partially decomposed bodies of at least 20 migrants, and as many as 50, piled up in a truck parked on the shoulder of an Austrian highway leading from the Hungarian border.

Police official Hans Peter Doskozil said the truck had Hungarian license plates.

The state of the bodies made establishing the identity and exact number of dead migrants difficult, but the total number could rise to 50, said Doskozil, chief of Burgenland police.

Police official Hans Peter Doskozil said the truck had Hungarian license plates.

The state of the bodies made establishing the identity and exact number of dead migrants difficult, but the total number could rise to 50, said Doskozil, chief of Burgenland police.


RONALD ZAK/AP
At least 20 migrants were found dead in the truck parked on the Austrian highway leading from the Hungarian border, police said.


He said the truck was apparently abandoned Wednesday and its back door was left open, exposing the bodies to police.

Police ordered reporters converging on the scene about 25 miles southeast of Vienna, to move away from the vehicle, a white refrigeration truck with images of food items on it.

Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner condemned the traffickers.

"Human smugglers are criminals," she said in a statement.

"Those who still think that they are gentle helpers of refugees are beyond saving."


RONALD ZAK/AP
A truck stands on the shoulder of the highway A4 near Parndorf south of Vienna, Austria, Thursday, Aug 27, 2015.

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