Four migrants dead in lorry near Karlovac, police search for smuggler
Four dead and two seriously injured migrants have been found in an overcrowded lorry in the settlement of Donje Prilišće near Karlovac, which a human smuggler abandoned. Croatian police have identified the driver and are intensively searching for him.
Four migrants dead in lorry near Karlovac, police search for smuggler
On Sunday late in the evening in the settlement of Donje Prilišće, in the municipality of Netretić near Karlovac, four dead and two seriously injured migrants were found in an overcrowded lorry that a smuggler had abandoned. A total of 34 people were in the vehicle, with the remaining 28 found at the roadside.
According to a report from the portal Radio Odeon, police found 13 foreign nationals in good condition in the municipality of Netretić. Four dead bodies and two seriously injured persons were found with them and were taken to Karlovac hospital.
A further 11 migrants from the group managed to cross into Slovenia, but Slovenian authorities have already returned them to Croatia. One of the two hospitalised individuals is recovering, whilst the other was transferred on Tuesday to the intensive care unit due to deteriorating health. Upon admission, he was dehydrated, suffering from hypothermia and had bruises.
The smuggler abandoned the migrants at the border with Slovenia after transporting them in a smaller lorry. The cargo space was apparently too small for so many people, stated Zoran Ničeno, head of the Border Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in a statement to Croatian public broadcaster HRT. "Four people most likely died from asphyxiation," he added.
Police know the identity of the driver and are searching intensively for him. Croatian Minister of Internal Affairs Davor Božinović stated on Tuesday that the suspect is not a Croatian citizen. "This is a very serious criminal offence and we will certainly not give up the search for the person we have identified," he said.
According to data cited by Ničeno, Croatian police have arrested 326 human smugglers and 53 assistants so far this year, which represents a 17 per cent increase compared with the same period last year. International protection was sought by 4,096 foreign nationals who attempted to illegally cross the border, but upon arrival at reception centres only 391 individuals actually submitted an application.
The settlement of Donje Prilišće, situated beside the Kupa River not far from the former border crossing at Žunići, is considered a key point for illegal passage into Slovenia. Due to the "unprotected" bridge over the Kupa and proximity to a motorway exit, it is a popular location both among migrants crossing on foot and among smugglers who abandon them there, according to Radio Odeon.
Source: Google News SI — Crime (sl)