46 migrants found dead inside truck trailer in San Antonio, Texas: officials

migrants were found dead in the back of a tractor-trailer on a remote back road in rural San Antonio on Monday, according to Texas law enforcement officials.Sixteen others, including four children, were found alive and taken to hospitals with heat-related illnesses, police and medical officials told a news conference.“They were suffering from heat stroke and exhaustion,” said Fire Chief Charles Hood. “It was a refrigerated tractor-trailer, but there was no visible working AC unit on that rig.”No children were among those found deceased, the officials said.The discovery is among the worst instances of migrant deaths in recent history, and comes amid a rise in illegal migration into the U.S.

across its southern border. U.S. will no longer deport unaccompanied migrant children following policy change San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the 46 who died had “families who were likely trying to find a better life.”“This is nothing short of a horrific human tragedy,” Nirenberg said.A city worker at the scene was alerted to the situation by a cry for help Monday evening, Police Chief William McManus said.

Officers arrived to find a body on the ground outside the trailer and a partially opened gate to the trailer, he said.The patients taken to hospital were hot to the touch and dehydrated, and no water was found in the trailer, he said.Three people were taken into custody, but it was unclear if they were absolutely connected with human trafficking, McManus said.Those in the trailer were part of a presumed migrant smuggling attempt into the U.S., and the investigation was being led by U.S.

Homeland Security Investigations, McManus said.Gov. Greg Abbott, who earlier Monday evening had said the death toll was at 42 people did not.