Hunt on for Morecambe Bay gangmasters

British police investigating the deaths of 19 Chinese cockle pickers who were drowned by incoming tides are hunting the gangmasters who recruited the illegal immigrants.

A UK police chief has vowed to bring criminal charges against anyone found to be responsible for the deaths.

The victims, 17 men and two women, were among a group of workers harvesting cockles in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, UK.

Assistant Chief Constable Julia Hodson confirmed 16 people survived the tragedy, and were being questioned with the help of Mandarin and Cantonese interpreters.

Asked for her opinion of gang bosses who profit from the slave labour of illegal immigrants, she said: "I think they would be criminals of the worst possible kind."

Among the survivors are two white Europeans, nine current asylum seekers and five people unknown to the immigration services before the tragedy.

Four of them have since claimed political asylum.

The non-European survivors were described as "Mainland Chinese nationals".

Mrs Hodson said investigators were trying to establish if the pickers were working illegally or had permits.

Lancashire Constabulary is working with the British Health and Safety Executive, the Chinese Embassy, the UK Coroner's Office, and Lancashire County Council to identify the dead.