Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Police find 12 people in back of lorry after ‘terrified’ 999 call

Police said a ‘terrified man’ dialled 999 last week ‘reporting he was in the back of a lorry with 11 other people’.

Sam Russell
Friday 30 August 2024 19:12 BST
The man making the call had just 1% left on his phone’s battery (Alamy/PA)
The man making the call had just 1% left on his phone’s battery (Alamy/PA)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A man in the back of a lorry with just 1% battery left on his phone tells a 999 operator “we are dying, can you help us please?” in audio released by police.

Cambridgeshire Police said officers found the lorry in Alconbury Weald – which is north of Huntingdon on the A1 – and that the 12 people inside, including five children aged between 15 and 17, were unharmed.

The force said in a social media post that a “terrified man” dialled 999 last week “reporting he was in the back of a lorry with 11 other people”.

“He told us they were banging on the side of the lorry for hours but were unable to alert the driver and that they were cold,” a force spokesperson said.

“The man had just 1% battery left on his phone and was concerned for the welfare of everyone on board.

“Thankfully we managed to locate the lorry in Alconbury Weald and found 12 people, including five children aged between 15 and 17, inside squashed at the top of pallets of fruit.

“Everyone was checked over by the ambulance crew, given food and drink, and we’re pleased to say no-one was harmed.”

The force said the driver was “initially arrested on suspicion of human trafficking but later released with no further action”.

A spokesperson said the children were taken into police protection and an investigation continues.

In audio of the 999 call, released by the force, the caller says: “We need help please, ma’am.”

He continues: “We are dying, can you help us please?”

The operator establishes the man is in the back of a lorry and asks if he knows where the vehicle is.

“We don’t know where we are,” the man replies.

The call-handler reassures the man that officers are out trying to look for the lorry.

The man says there are pregnant women inside the lorry, which he said was carrying grapes.

Members of the public replying to the force’s social media post praised the call-handler for her calm and professional manner, and police who managed to find the vehicle.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in