At least 46 migrants were found dead Monday in and around a tractor-trailer that was abandoned on the roadside on the outskirts of the Texas city of San Antonio.

The grim discovery was one of the worst disasters involving migrants in the United States in recent years -- and came five years after a similar deadly incident in the same central Texas city, a few hours from the Mexican border.

"At this time we have processed approximately 46 bodies that have been triaged and tagged and declared deceased," San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood told reporters.

He said that 16 people had been transported to hospital alive and conscious -- 12 adults and four children.

There were no initial details on the age or nationality of the deceased.

"The patients that we saw were hot to the touch, they were suffering from heat stroke, heat exhaustion, no signs of water in the vehicle, it was a refrigerated tractor-trailer but there was no visible working A/C unit on that rig," Hood said.

Officials said three people were in custody over the incident.

"Tonight we are dealing with a horrific human tragedy," San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg told a press conference.

"So I would urge you all to think compassionately and pray for the deceased, the ailing, the families," he said.

"And we hope that those responsible for putting these people in such inhumane conditions are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

San Antonio, which lies some 250 kilometers (150 miles) from the border, is a major transit route for people smugglers.

It has also been gripped by a record-breaking recent heat wave, and temperatures in the area hit 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.5 Celsius) on Monday.

The vehicle was found on a road near Highway I-35, a major US artery that stretches all the way to the border with Mexico.

A massive emergency operation was underway at the scene involving police, firefighters and ambulances.

According to San Antonio police chief William McManus, authorities were first alerted by an emergency call at about 5:50 pm.

"A worker who works in one of the buildings up here behind me heard a cry for help," he told reporters, "came out to investigate, found a trailer with the doors partially open, opened them up to take a look, and found a number of deceased individuals inside."

He said the probe had been turned over to the federal Department of Homeland Security.

'A better life'
Texas Governor Greg Abbott hit, a Republican who advocates a tough line on immigration, hit out at President Joe Biden over the disaster -- blaming his "deadly open border policies."

"These deaths are on Biden," Abbott tweeted. "They show the deadly consequences of his refusal to enforce the law."

Mexico's foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard, called the incident a "tragedy" and said the Mexican consul was headed to the site.

Ebrard said the nationalities of the victims were not yet known, but that two Guatemalans were among the survivors.

San Antonio was the site of a similar migrant tragedy in 2017, when 10 people suffocated to death in a sweltering trailer with broken air conditioning and clogged ventilation holes as they traveled into the United States.

Dozens more had been hospitalized with heat stroke and dehydration -- with the truck believed to have been holding as many as 200 people, most of whom fled when it stopped in a parking lot. The truck driver later pleaded guilty to charges related to the deaths.

"Lord have mercy on them. They hoped for a better life," tweeted Gustavo Garcia-Siller, the archbishop of San Antonio, after news broke of Monday's awful discovery.

"Once again, the lack of courage to deal with immigration reform is killing and destroying lives."

SOURCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3ab2yB9e5A

Shit humans go through in search of a better life .

Every country with their own wahala , but Nigeria own chokeeee.

RIP to the deceased.

Bruh

Frustration has forced people to take risks they ordinarily would not have taken.

EVERYONE deserves a BETTER LIFE.

Analysis of the cause of our problems:

Mr A dumps in a bank, Billions of Dollars he is not using and not going to use until he dies...

Part of that money could've been used to better the lives of people around him but greed, selfishness, lack of kindness and compassion won't let him.

Yankee sef no be am these days.

Thought it is only Africans that take these types of risks to japa to America.

Rip to the dead

The American dream gone wrong for this illegal migrant na Mexican he go be....

And dem for stay dere country jejely dem still fit survive from the narcos...

All for the sake of THE BREAD!!! Hopefully , person nor go lost him life in the process of searching for greener pastures !

People trying to japa from Mexico.

Too bad

This is what we are trying to avoid in Nigeria, don't vote for candidates with questionable character and wealth, people who will replace certificate with story, people we do not know their childhood history, you will be doing evil to your loved ones, generation and future generations to vote for people with questionable character because of personal interest...

These things can be avoided....

Too many deaths

The risk of trying to earn daily bread
same thing I am facing now
https://www.nairaland.com/6796546/diary-cheap-labourer-daily-bread






God have mercy



We all deserve to be happy

Hmmm all in a bid to get the good life

Tight security at the airport, yet porous borders, stupid country.

Sometimes it is better to stay and fight to build your country than running to the ones built by others through sweat and sacrifices.

Citizens of the countries you run to once stood their ground, fought tooth and nail for their countries to be where it is today.

They didn't run away from their fathers land. Their ancestors would be forever proud of them.

If you are a Nigerian politician in power, strive to make the country a better place. Remember, Nigeria is your father land.

If you are an aspiring politician, when you get there, strive to make the country a better place. Remember, Nigeria is your father's land.


As for the Citizens, charity begins at home. Everything is not up to the government.

An item than is profitable to be sold for 50 naira, sell it for 50 naira (do not hike the prices of things unnecessarily). When you do that, you are making the country a better place.

Yes, sometimes prices do go up (e.g due to fuel price increase), but when it comes down, do well to bring down the prices of goods and services as well. When you do that, you are making the country a better place.

A country can only succeed when the occupants work together. There is enough resources in this country compared to almost all of eroupe combined (with the exception of Russia). Yet, corruption has made it one of the poorest place to live.


Let's make Nigeria great.

Ha! Make people try to dey take life easy nau.
As you don die like this,the goal you wan achieve no possible again.

This life sef
Barman! Play me "vanity" by wizkid and will smith

H

Japa can lead to two things. Rip to them

Immigration deal gone wrong?
Cartel wars?

Japa gone wrong..America dream turn permanent sleep for the 46.I wish that every country in this world will close thier border against Nigeria if we dare elect ancestors in 2023 ,so that the suffering go enter our body well well ,atleast in 2027 nobody will ever tell us to vote in vibrant young people into power

This is plan of this Useless APC Government and Party for Nigerians...

They want to frustrate Nigerians to the point where they would take matters into their hands and seek to go abroad by any means possible...

But God will disappoint them... Nigeria would be great again.

APC as a Party must not be allowed to remain in the Aso Rock Villa...

APC must Fall.... APC must Fail.... APC must Scatter.

I tell you!

jumper524:
Yankee sef no be am these days.

suffocation

supporter of APC Mexicans

Okay nah

So sad

American dream that never became reality. God punish all bad and wicked leaders