11 found dead in Ethiopian container

The Africa Report
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

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At least 11 people were found dead in a container trucker in Ethiopia on Sunday and are suspected to be victims of human trafficking.The container was reportedly on its way to Djibouti but police suspect Saudi Arabia was the final destination. According to police, the truck driver was part of a syndicate of human traffickers.

Police said the driver allegedly loaded 75 people in a single container-with no windows after demanding $400 from each person. They were supposed to travel to various destinations through Arab countries including Yemen and Somalia.

Police who got a tip off followed the lorry and intercepted it before it entered Djibouti. But the driver of the lorry, suspecting that he was being followed by police, stopped the vehicle and ran away.

Police expressed shock when they found the 11 people including a woman already dead.

The survivors were taken to a nearby hospital, where they are receiving treatment.

"If there was a few minutes delay to open the container, all would have died. Many of them collapsed when the container was opened by the police," police said.

Human trafficking is becoming a burden in Ethiopia where a large number of people leave in search of greener pastures, most of them to Arab countries in the Middle East.

One of those killed had reportedly failed a medical examination to work in an unnamed Arab country as a driver.

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