Jawad Amiri claimed that the discovery of 39 bodies in containers in Essex, England, brought back bad memories.
When 39 Chinese citizens were found dead in a container truck in Essex, England, the memories of Jawad Amiri immediately returned when he was smuggled to England and died of exhaustion.
The 28-year-old man from Afghanistan is one of 15 people rescued from closed containers on the M1 highway when oxygen was low.
He recounted his terrible journey from the immigrant camp in Calais, France, and how mobile phone messages made them his seven-year-old sister to escape death.
- Dozens of bodies in container trucks in Britain are Chinese
- Dozens of bodies were found in container trucks in the UK
- "If they die ... they are thrown into the German jungle," the tragic story of immigrants
- Refugee tragedy and sexual violence are at risk of death
"Like a walking tomb"
Every night, a network of people smugglers will open containers and put 20 to 30 people in them. They took people's money and didn't care whether they were killed or alive.
My brother and I, Ahmed, got into a refrigerated container truck with 13 other people. They (human smugglers) close the door and everyone is afraid because we cannot open it from within.
Ahmed, now 10, described a container truck that took him to England.
Inside the container there are boxes filled with medicines. There was a half-meter room between the boxes and the roof of the container. We have to lie there for 15 or 16 hours. We couldn't move, sit or stand. It looks like a walking tomb.
The situation was completely dark and was initially very cold because the container was refrigerated. However, the air conditioner is broken and the situation is getting hotter.
We open blankets and clothes. All we have is water and gone. There is no place to defecate.
'We're banging on the roof'
Ahmed sent a text message that saved the lives of 15 refugees in a container.
Very difficult to breathe. My sister cried, she was scared, and coughed. I kept telling him, "You're fine, they will open the door."
We continue to sweat because it's getting hotter and can't talk smoothly.
We keep calling the drivers and banging on the roof. He stopped several times and hoped to open the door, but did not want to.
He spoke in a very rude language and shouted to us to be calm.
Some people in the containers have mobile phones, but they don't want to call the police because they are afraid they will be sent home.
"There is no oxygen"
This is the text message Ahmad sent to the charity.
I ran out of battery for my mobile phone, but Ahmed has a small mobile phone and sent a text message to the mother of a charity in the camp who gave him a mobile phone.
He said we need help, the truck driver will not stop, there is no oxygen.
He replied: "Do not move, relax, do not talk a lot, and we will contact the police."
Then the police came with a dog and found a container truck. The container door opened and everyone was happy at that moment.
Some people feel upset because they fear they will be sent home.
A doctor came to examine us and said we were in good condition. Then they sent us to a hostel.
"I'm sad about what they tried"
Now I am very happy I have the right to live in the UK and now I am learning on campus to be trained to be a creator.
My brother is now 10 years old and has created reality through his experience and dreams of traveling. Virtual reality called Parwaz VR.
I was in the car and talking to a friend when we heard from the radio about the death of a number of people in Essex.
Physically, I'm in the car. However, my mind was back in the container.
The news made me sick and sad because it brought bad experiences back. I think of these people when oxygen runs out and I feel very sad about what they are exposed to.
They are not the only 39 people who died. They are 39 family lost brother or sister.
People in the UK are smart and friendly. I hope this shows that we should take more responsibility to take care of people who leave their homes, their families and everything.