Three suspects were arrested after the bodies of 46 migrants were found in the back of a sweltering tractor-trailer in San Antonio, in central Texas, on Monday, the deadliest smuggling incident of its kind in U.S history.
The horrific incident comes amid an influx of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border, where authorities are expecting to make arrests of more than 2 million people.
Rescuers managed to pull out 16 people from the trailer who were still alive, which includes four children, San Antonio Fire Chief Charkles Hood told reporters. The 16 survivors were taken for medical treatment, authorities said.
According to Hood, the bodies removed from the truck “were hot to the touch”. “There were no signs of water in the vehicle, and no visible working AC unit on that rig,” he said.
“At this time, we have processed approximately 46 bodies that have been triaged and tagged and declared deceased,” Hood told reporters.
Three people were taken into custody, but it was not clear if they were connected with human trafficking. Those who were in the trailer were presumed to be part of a smuggling attempt into the United States, said Police Chief William McManus.
This may have been the deadliest tragedy among thousands of people who have been trying to cross the U.S. border from Mexico in recent decades. In 2017, 10 migrants died after being trapped inside a truck that was parked at a Walmart in San Antonio.
San Antonio, which is 250 kilometres from the border, is a major route for smugglers.