Eight people were found inside a refrigerated lorry in China's central Henan province where they are said to have suffocated, Chinese state media reported on Monday.
The lorry's driver found the eight individuals in the cargo space of his vehicle near a motorway exit some 140 kilometres south of the provincial capital Zhenghzou and alerted emergency services, according the local government. All eight were reportedly unconscious when they were found.
Attempts to reanimate them were unsuccessful and they were declared dead early on Sunday morning.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, including into the vehicle's driver.
Further details as well as the identities of the "illegal passengers," as authorities described them, remained initially unclear.