Refugees found in trailer at Rosslare

FOURTEEN refugees from Iran and Afghanistan, three of them children, were found in the trailer of a lorry that arrived at Rosslare Europort from France on Sunday afternoon.

The 12 males and two females were discovered by Garda Immigration Officers after the Irish Ferries’ cruise ferry ‘Oscar Wilde’ ferry berthed shortly after 2 p.m.

The discovery follows that of a 16-yearold Afghan boy who emerged at the port from the boot of a new car that was being imported from France on Saturday. He was taken to hospital to be assessed before being sent to a foster home.

According to local sources, some of the 14 refugees had previously attempted to get into Ireland and had been sent back to France after being refused asylum.

All 14 people, including the children, aged from 14 to 17, were found inside the refrigerated trailer unit, stopped for garda checks after passing through immigation.

Gardai said that when the driver checked the trailer he found the trailer’s seals had been tampered with, at which time banging was heard from inside the container.

All those inside, were said to be in good health, although one of the men was taken to Wexford General Hospital as a precaution.

The cruise shi[ had sailed from Cherbourg in France on Saturday night and the refugees could have been in the container for up to three days.

The three children, a girl and boy aged 14 and a boy, aged 17, are being looked after in foster homes in the South East, while the status of the group is being investigated under the refugee application process.

All 15 are claiming political asylum.