Not far from the Bulgarian capital Sofia, 18 migrants were found dead in a truck on Friday, the Interior Ministry said. The migrants are young Afghans.
four people arrested
The truck had Bulgarian license plates from Targowiste, in northeastern Bulgaria. According to initial findings, the men suffocated to death. Four people have already been arrested in the coastal city of Burgas and in the capital Sofia.
All four are linked to the case. Prosecutors did not elaborate on whether they were the fugitive drivers or human smugglers. According to the police, the truck was carrying more than 50 migrants who were hiding under piles of wood. 14 survivors were taken to hospitals in the capital Sofia, state radio BNR reported.
passenger driver
Some of them had breathing problems. The migrants, who are now being treated, told police that the two truck drivers had escaped. They would have left the truck when they discovered the bodies.
It remains unclear why the truck manages to stop near the village of Lukorsko. The Interior Ministry has ruled out a traffic accident. The owner of the truck has already been arrested. “We are hoping to obtain more information from the 16 DNA samples taken from the truck, including about the drivers,” added Deputy Attorney General Borislav Sarafov.