Daniel Ionut, 26, a Romanian trucker who ferries goods between the Belgian port and Spain, told the Guardian he was saddened by the deaths. Although it is unclear exactly how and when the victims gained access to it, Zeebrugge has past links to people-smuggling. A lorry carrying 58 Chinese migrants who suffocated 19 years ago in Dover had travelled from the busy port. The National Crime Agency warned in May that gangs were now using Belgian ports after French authorities tightened security across the border. In 2016, the Border Force specifically highlighted Zeebrugge as a key port of embarkation for migrants or trafficking victims heading to the UK.

Source: The Guardian October 24, 2019 18:34 UTC