Tamil Diplomat

Migrant crisis: More than 70 bodies found in Austria lorry

Austrian officials now say more than 70 bodies, thought to be migrants, were in an abandoned lorry found on a motorway. They originally estimated that between 20 to 50 people died in the vehicle, found near the Hungarian border. Police discovered the decomposing bodies on Thursday morning after being sent to investigate the dumped lorry on the A4 motorway heading towards Vienna.

The local police chief said it appeared those in the vehicle had been dead for one and a half to two days. The victims were probably already dead when the vehicle crossed into Austria from Hungary, authorities said. The vehicle was towed to a former veterinary border facility with refrigeration facilities in Nickelsdorf on Thursday.

Forensic teams worked through the night to examine the bodies. Austrian police are expected to reveal the exact toll at a news conference at 11:00 (09:00 GMT) on Friday.