24 Afghan refugees found in sealed truck in Austria

Vienna, Sep 2: Austrian police have found 24 Afghan refugees in a small truck, whose doors and windows were welded shut.

Austrian media outlets said on Wednesday that police officers, who found the truck on Monday night, rescued the refugees, aged between 16 and 17, who were in danger of suffocation.

Thomas Keiblinger, police spokesman, was quoted by APA Austrian news agency as saying that the teenagers were lying on top of each other in a very small space.

The 30-year-old driver ran away but was eventually caught and detained by the police.

This rescue operation came after 71 refugees were found dead last week in an abandoned truck in eastern Austria.

IANS