Migrants trapped inside a concealed compartment in a refrigerated van “banged and screamed” for help because they were “being starved of oxygen”, a court heard.

Lewes Crown Court heard crew members on the Seven Sisters ferry had to use an axe to free seven migrants from the vehicle, which was travelling to Newhaven port from Dieppe.

The driver of the van, Anas Al Mustafa, is on trial accused of trying to smuggle the migrants into the UK in the back of the specially adapted van on February 16.

The 43-year-old, of Heather Crescent, Swansea, denies the charge.

In his opening statement, Nick Corsellis KC for the prosecution said the ferry's journey was "uneventful" until 9.10am when a patrolling crew member heard "banging and screaming" coming from a van parked on the deck.

Mr Corsellis said crew reacted with "admirable speed".

Climbing onto the cab of the lorry they found a "dummy unit" which hid the entrance to a compartment that concealed seven human beings, he said.

Mr Corsellis said the migrants called for help because they were being "starved of oxygen and suffering from dehydration".

Crew members had to use an axe to free the migrants from the concealed compartment, which the court heard was approximately two metres wide, 196 cm high, with a 36 cm width.

The migrants had to stand up for the journey, Mr Corsellis said, and there was no water for them.

He said the heat created in the concealed unit created a "highly dangerous situation" and that a number of people had removed items of clothing.

He said two had lost consciousness.

Read more: Live: Trial of man accused of smuggling people in freezer lorry begins

“It was no doubt this mortal emergency that forced the migrants to call for help in desperation,” he said.

Efforts had been made to contact the driver on the ship but the crew had no response.

Mr Corsellis said a small air vent on the unit worked when the van was in motion but when the van stopped the amount of oxygen the migrants were getting was "inadequate".

Passengers on board the ship responded to a call to assist the crew.

Australian nurse Sari Gehle helped provide oxygen and medical supervision in the “confusing situation” where the only migrant able to speak spoke Vietnamese, while she spoke English and the crew spoke French.

Mr Corsellis also said Ms Gehle noticed one person “stood out” in the situation, who she described as an Asian man with a puffer jacket who was “sitting on the ground seemingly scrolling through his mobile telephone and was remarkably calm in her view.”

Mr Corsellis said that the man was the defendant.

The migrants were taken to hospital and treated, he added.

Al Mustafa, who moved to the UK in 2011 from Syria, has denied assisting unlawful immigration to the UK.

The opening continues.