Austria migrant tragedy suspects appear in court

AFP, KECSKEMÉT, Hungary: Four defendants appeared in court in Hungary on Saturday over Austria’s migrant truck tragedy, as a “horrified and heartbroken” UN chief called for concerted action to end Europe’s refugee crisis.
Police believe the three Bulgarians and one Afghan held over the 71 deaths to be low-ranking members of one of the numerous human trafficking gangs that many of the tens of thousands of migrants coming to Europe pay for help.
Reacting to the gruesome Austrian find and a new Mediterranean shipwreck, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Friday that the migrant crisis is a “human tragedy that requires a determined collective political response.”
“I appeal to all governments involved to provide comprehensive responses, expand safe and legal channels of migration and act with humanity, compassion and in accordance with their international obligations.”
The abandoned truck, found Thursday on an Austrian motorway in the baking sun near the Hungary border, contained the tightly packed, decomposing bodies of 59 men, eight women and four children including a little girl. They were thought to be Syrians.
Sparking revulsion across Europe, the tragic discovery highlighted the dangers faced by people fleeing conflict and hardship in the Middle East and Africa even once they reach Europe, with many putting their fate in the hands of profit-hungry people smugglers. It came as yet another boat crammed with desperate migrants sank in the Mediterranean off Libya.
The coastguard hiked Saturday the death toll to 111 but said that “dozens” were still missing. A total of 198 among the 400 on board have been rescued.
The United Nations estimates 300,000 people have fled conflict and hardship in the Middle East and Africa for a better life in Europe this year, and 2,500 more have died in the attempt, mostly in the Mediterranean.
“My little sister, someone climbed on her back and pushed her down. When I saw her for the last time, she was underwater with him on top of her,” Pakistani Shefaz Hamza, 17, a survivor who also lost his mother in the latest tragedy, told AFP in Libya.
In Hungary, the four men including the truck’s alleged owner and drivers arrived Saturday afternoon at the court in Kecskemet, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of the Serbian border that some 140,000 have crossed this year.

Austria migrant tragedy suspects appear in court

AFP, KECSKEMT, Hungary: Four defendants appeared in court in Hungary on Saturday over Austrias migrant truck tragedy, as a horrified and heartbroken UN chief called for concerted action to end Europes refugee crisis. Police believe the three Bulgarians and one Afghan held over the 71 deaths to be low-ranking members of one of the numerous human trafficking gangs that many of the tens of thousands of migrants coming to Europe pay for help. Reacting to the gruesome Austrian find and a new Mediterranean shipwreck, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Friday that the migrant crisis is a human tragedy that requires a determined collective political response. I appeal to all governments involved to provide comprehensive responses, expand safe and legal channels of migration and act with humanity, compassion and in accordance with their international obligations. The abandoned truck, found Thursday on an Austrian motorway in the baking sun near the Hungary border, contained the tightly packed, decomposing bodies of 59 men, eight women and four children including a little girl. They were thought to be Syrians. Sparking revulsion across Europe, the tragic discovery highlighted the dangers faced by people fleeing conflict and hardship in the Middle East and Africa even once they reach Europe, with many putting their fate in the hands of profit-hungry people smugglers. It came as yet another boat crammed with desperate migrants sank in the Mediterranean off Libya. The coastguard hiked Saturday the death toll to 111 but said that dozens were still missing. A total of 198 among the 400 on board have been rescued. The United Nations estimates 300,000 people have fled conflict and hardship in the Middle East and Africa for a better life in Europe this year, and 2,500 more have died in the attempt, mostly in the Mediterranean. My little sister, someone climbed on her back and pushed her down. When I saw her for the last time, she was underwater with him on top of her, Pakistani Shefaz Hamza, 17, a survivor who also lost his mother in the latest tragedy, told AFP in Libya. In Hungary, the four men including the trucks alleged owner and drivers arrived Saturday afternoon at the court in Kecskemet, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of the Serbian border that some 140,000 have crossed this year.