A man has died after more than 30 people - including children - were found in a shipping container at Tilbury Docks in Essex, police say.
Two people have been taken to hospital while others with "significant health problems" are being treated by ambulance crews.
The discovery was made on Saturday when the ship, which had arrived from Zeebrugge, Belgium, was being unloaded.
Essex Police has launched an investigation.
In a statement, the force said of the discovery: "Thirty-one people, including adults and children of both genders, were found inside.
"One man has sadly died and the others have significant health problems. They are being treated by ambulance crews and are being taken to local hospitals."
A Basildon Hospital spokeswoman said 19 people, including seven children, were currently being treated.
The East of England Ambulance Service, which was called to the docks at 6:37 BST, sent seven ambulances, two rapid response cars, two doctors and a hazardous area response team to the scene.
A spokeswoman said: "Our initial priority is to assess the level and nature of any injuries, and ensure that those people in most need are treated first and taken to hospital."
On its website, the hospital said that its accident and emergency department was "responding to a major incident".
Public Health England said it was not currently involved and had not been notified of there being any Ebola risk.
On its website, the hospital said that its accident and emergency department was "responding to a major incident".
A spokeswoman for the port said they were unable to comment on the incident as it "was a matter for the police and Border Force".
A new route linking Tilbury and Zeebrugge has only been operationalsince earlier this month, according to parent company Forth Ports.
Murder probe as 'screaming' illegal immigrants found in shipping container: One dead and 35 in hospital with 'dehydration and hypothermia' after shock discovery at Tilbury Docks
- Seven children were among the people found at the docks in Essex
- Container was on a ship was travelling from Zeebrugge in Belgium
- Dock workers discovered stowaways after hearing 'screaming and banging'
- Officers have launched murder probe and say they are tracing contianer
- Immigrants believed to be victims of trafficking from Indian sub-continent
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A murder probe has been launched after a man died while stowed away with a group of illegal immigrants who were discovered inside a shipping container at Tilbury Docks this morning.
Shocked workers discovered 35 people, including seven children, after hearing 'screaming and banging' while unloading a P&O commercial ferry from Zeebrugge in Belgium.
The survivors, believed to be from the Indian sub-continent, have all been taken to hospital to be treated for 'severe dehydration and hypothermia' following the 10-hour overnight journey.
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Workers at Tilbury Docks in Essex discovered the group of 35 illegal immigrants when they heard 'screaming and banging' coming from inside a container on board this vessel
The P&O commercial ferry - called the Norstream - left Zeebrugge in Belgium at 10pm last night and arrived in the Essex docks at 6am
The A&E department at Basildon University Hospital has been sealed off by police as a 'decontamination area'
Police have said they are being detained under immigration laws and will be transferred to designated reception centres when they have recovered.
Basildon University Hospital has sealed off its A&E department as a 'decontamination zone' and said on its Twitter feed that it is 'responding to a major incident'.
Essex Police confirmed that a homicide investigation has been opened and the death of the man is being treated as 'suspicious'.
The force also said they are working with Belgian police - who are believed to have identified the lorry that delivered the container.
A spokesman for the hospital said they are providing treatment for 18 people including seven children. Reports suggest they are being treated for severe dehydration and hypothermia.
A police officer at the scene said they are still trying to determine the nationalities of those on board the container but they are believed to be of Indian origin, possibly Punjab.
They were on board a Dutch vessel called the Norstream which is owned by P&O and transports lorries as well as containers.
Superintendent Trevor Roe, from Essex Police, said the victims were now recovering 'fairly quickly' and that no one else had been discovered hiding aboard the ferry, the Norstream.
Describing them as victims of 'people trafficking', Mr Roe said they had been in the container a 'significant amount of time' and that now police were working with international agencies to establish their movements prior to arriving in the UK.
He said: 'We understand that the occupants of the container are from the Indian states. Exactly where they travelled from and their intended destination remains unclear.
'My understanding on the update of the 35 people is this - they are recovering fairly quickly in most cases and are being detained under immigration powers and will be taken to a reception centre.
'A handful of individuals might be kept in overnight for observation but my understanding is most of the persons are recovering well.
'Once the victims - and I will call them victims - of this crime, people trafficking - we need to understand the origin of that, and we need to establish through investigation what offences have been committed.'
An aerial image shows the emergency services at the scene in Tilbury Docks, Essex. Pictured is the blue container believed to have been carrying the stowaways
Officers were called after the group were discovered when the vessel was being unloaded
Reports suggest the ship left the Belgian port at 10pm, but may have been loaded up as early as 6pm - suggesting the stowaways could have been in the container for up to 12 hours.
Superintendent Trevor Rowe from Essex Police said that once the door on the container was opened those inside were extracted 'very quickly'.
He added: 'Staff here at the port became aware of screaming and banging coming from a container coming from that particular ferry. As a result of that noise, staff were alerted and immediately breached the container to find 35 persons within that unit.'
The group consisted of adults and children of both genders.
The Norstream was described as a 'roll-on, roll-off' container ferry. Mr Rowe said: 'It is a regular route here twice a day from Zeebrugge.'
Mr Rowe added: 'It is a homicide investigation... we will be looking to see where the origin and the gangs or whoever may (be) involved in this conspiracy to bring these people in this way over to this country. Clearly we need to try and bring them to justice.'
Asked to clarify the nature of the homicide investigation, police said charges could include murder and manslaughter, although there was no suggestion anyone on the container was a suspect.
The superintendent added: 'Nothing has been ruled out. We need to speak to the people in the container, where they have come from, what their motivation is and who's involved.'
The patients at Basildon University Hospital are reportedly being treated for dehydration and hypothermia
South Basildon and East Thurrock MP Stephen Metcalfe called the discovery was 'tragic'.
'The fact that so many people appear to have travelled so far and are so desperate to get into the UK - either on their own or being trafficked is really very sad,' he said.
The Conservative MP said the country needs 'to get to the root causes of what is motivating people to go to such extreme lengths to travel from other parts of the world to get into the UK' and tackle people-trafficking.
Immigration and Security Minister, James Brokenshire, said: 'Today’s tragic incident at Tilbury is a reminder of the often devastating human consequences of illegal migration.
'We know that criminal gangs are involved in what amounts to a brutal trade in human lives. We also know that illegal migration is a Europe-wide issue.
'That is why we work closely and collaboratively with law enforcement and port authorities, in neighbouring countries, to target criminal networks and ensure that the organised gangs behind trafficking and people smuggling can't operate with impunity.
'This incident is now a criminal investigation. Border Force officers are fully engaged with Essex police and the Tilbury port authorities as the necessary steps are taken towards bringing those responsible to justice. Local NHS staff have been providing the adults and children with the urgent care they need.'
The East of England Ambulance service confirmed a hazardous area response team had been sent.
They said they were called to the docks at 6.37am to treat people who had been found in a container.
A spokesman said: 'We sent seven ambulances, two rapid response cars, a patient transport services vehicle, two duty operational managers, two Basics doctors and our hazardous area response team (Hart), a number of which are still on scene.
A security van is parked outside the 'decontamination area' at Basildon University Hospital in Essex
Superintendent Trevor Roe from Essex Police (left) and Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer Daniel Gore from East of England Ambulance Service (right) address the media at a press conference
An ambulance enters Tilbury Docks to attend the 'major incident' which was reported when the container was discovered this morning
'After initial treatment by ambulance crews, all patients have now been conveyed to surrounding hospitals for further care; seven have been taken to Southend Hospital, nine to London Whitechapel Hospital and 18 to Basildon Hospital.'
'Our initial priority is to assess the level and nature of any injuries, and ensure that those people in most need are treated first and taken to hospital.
'At present, we have taken two patients to Basildon and Thurrock Hospital and are still on scene treating and triaging others.
'We are working closely with other members of the emergency services at the scene, with our priority to ensure patients receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible.'
One man has died after a group of 31 suspected illegal immigrants were found inside a shipping container at Tilbury Docks in Essex
The ship (not pictured) was travelling from Zeebrugge in Belgium and was being unloaded when the group was discovered
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