Inquest into immigrants' deaths
Friday, 14 December 2001 21:45
A 55-year-old Turkish father has testified at an inquest into the deaths of four immigrants en route from Belgium to Ireland.
He told the inquest that the first he knew about the deaths of Turkish people in the back of a container in Ireland was when he read about it in the local paper two days ago.
He travelled from Turkey and arrived in Wexford today where he positively identified his 26-year-old son.
Hayder Ucarogla told the inquest that the last time he saw his son was seven weeks ago in Turkey. His son, Yuksel Ucarogla, worked as a butcher.
He travelled to Istanbul on 27 October in search of work. He said that if he did not get work there he would go to Europe. On 27 November Yuksel phoned his brother from Belgium and said he was going to England.
The inquest also heard evidence from a 30-year-old electronic engineer who lives and works in London. His uncle and two cousins died in the back of the container.
He said the last time he met his 40-year-old uncle Hassan Kalendergill was in August or September of this year when he went to Istanbul on holiday and stayed with the family.
The 30-year-old travelled to Wexford five days ago and identified his uncle Hassan and his cousins 16-year-old Kalender and Kalender's 10-year-old sister Zelide.
The State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison, said that all four died from lack of oxygen.
Meanwhile the bodies of the other four people who died are being taken from Wexford to Dublin where they will be flown out to the Tukish capital, Ankarra.
- 9.00 News: Helen McInerney reports from Wexford
