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At least 46 people believed to be migrants were found dead in an 18-wheeler in San Antonio, Texas, on Monday, in what may be the deadliest case of migrant-smuggling in recent years.
At least 16 others — 12 adults and four children — were taken to hospitals, according to officials.
Three people are in custody, officials said, but it was unclear how they are connected to the case. A federal investigation was underway.
“This is nothing short of a horrific human tragedy,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Monday.
A city worker heard a cry for help around 6 p.m., Police Chief William McManus said at a press conference.
The victims found in the abandoned rig discovered in southwest San Antonio were suffering from heat exhaustion, the San Antonio Fire Department said.
There was no working air-conditioning in the vehicle, or water, Fire Chief Charles Hood said. The victims brought to hospital were “hot to the touch.”
The victims who were taken to the hospital were “too weak” to pull themselves out of the trailer, he added.
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The vehicle had been dumped and found in a remote area near railroad tracks and salvage yards.
The San Antonio Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily News.
Monday’s horrific discovery could be the deadliest incident of migrant deaths in recent years. In 2017, 10 people died inside a truck parked at a San Antonio Walmart; in 2003, 19 migrants were found in an overheated truck also in San Antonio.
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Temperatures in San Antonio and other Texas cities have reached record levels recently. On Monday, a high of 103 degrees was recorded.
“There are about 46 migrants dead in San Antonio. Our prayers raised up to you O Lord for their souls. Lord have mercy on them. They hoped for a better life,” tweeted San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller Monday evening.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott late Monday blamed President Biden. “At Least 42 People Found Dead Inside Truck Carrying Migrants In Texas,” he tweeted. “These deaths are on Biden. They are a result of his deadly open border policies. They show the deadly consequences of his refusal to enforce the law.”
Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke called the tragedy “devastating.”
“We need urgent action — dismantle human smuggling rings and replace them with expanded avenues for legal migration that reflect our values and meet our country’s needs,” he tweeted.
“This tragedy is only the latest case of unscrupulous coyotes putting profit over the lives of real human beings. Sadly, this is a result of our broken immigration system. The lack of real immigration reform puts migrants in danger of falling victims to unscrupulous smugglers,” said Lydia Guzman of the League of United Latin American Citizens in a statement.
With News Wire Services
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