London, June 5 (IANS): A shipping container carrying 68 migrants was discovered at a port in the English county of Essex, the local ambulance service said on Friday.

Seven of the migrants, who were detected on Thursday night in Harwich international port, were taken to Colchester Hospital for treatment, Efe news agency reported.

"The patients who were taken to hospital were suffering from abdominal and chest pains and were feeling faint," the spokesman for the ambulance service said, noting none of those admitted was in serious condition.

The other 61 people were detained by the UK Border Control at Harwich international port, responsible for immigration at the British Home Office.

The spokesman noted that the 68 migrants are from various nationalities and there are two pregnant women among them.

The official did not disclose from where the container originated, but media speculate that it was coming from the Netherlands.