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| Essex lorry deaths: 39 bodies found in shipping container | Essex lorry deaths: 39 bodies found in shipping container |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The bodies of 39 people have been found in a lorry container in Essex. | The bodies of 39 people have been found in a lorry container in Essex. |
| The vehicle, registered in Bulgaria, was found shortly before 01:40 BST at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, police said. | The vehicle, registered in Bulgaria, was found shortly before 01:40 BST at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, police said. |
| Everyone inside the container, 38 adults and one teenager, died, Essex Police said. | Everyone inside the container, 38 adults and one teenager, died, Essex Police said. |
| The lorry driver, a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. | The lorry driver, a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. |
| Police believe the vehicle travelled from Zeebrugge, Belgium, into Purfleet on the River Thames. | Police believe the vehicle travelled from Zeebrugge, Belgium, into Purfleet on the River Thames. |
| It docked in the Thurrock area shortly after 00:30 and left about 35 minutes later. | |
| Police believe the tractor unit of the lorry originated in Northern Ireland. | |
| 'Horrendous' conditions | 'Horrendous' conditions |
| Deputy Chief Constable Pippa Mills said identifying the victims remained a "number one priority", but was expected to be a "lengthy process". | Deputy Chief Constable Pippa Mills said identifying the victims remained a "number one priority", but was expected to be a "lengthy process". |
| The National Crime Agency said it had sent officers to assist and identify any "organised crime groups who may have played a part". | The National Crime Agency said it had sent officers to assist and identify any "organised crime groups who may have played a part". |
| Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said the container appeared to be a refrigerated unit, where temperatures could be as low as -25C. | Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said the container appeared to be a refrigerated unit, where temperatures could be as low as -25C. |
| He described conditions for anyone inside as "absolutely horrendous". | He described conditions for anyone inside as "absolutely horrendous". |
| A spokesman for the Bulgarian foreign affairs ministry confirmed the truck was registered in the country. | A spokesman for the Bulgarian foreign affairs ministry confirmed the truck was registered in the country. |
| "The Scania truck was registered in Varna (on the east coast) under the name of a company owned by an Irish citizen," he said. | "The Scania truck was registered in Varna (on the east coast) under the name of a company owned by an Irish citizen," he said. |
| "Police said that it is highly unlikely that they are Bulgarians," he added. | "Police said that it is highly unlikely that they are Bulgarians," he added. |
| Police have appealed for witnesses and anyone with information about the lorry's route to contact them. | Police have appealed for witnesses and anyone with information about the lorry's route to contact them. |
| Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was an "unimaginable tragedy and truly heartbreaking". | Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was an "unimaginable tragedy and truly heartbreaking". |
| Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, he said: "I know that the thoughts and prayers of all members will be with those who lost their lives and their loved ones. | Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, he said: "I know that the thoughts and prayers of all members will be with those who lost their lives and their loved ones. |
| "I'm receiving regular updates. The Home Office will work closely with Essex Police as we establish exactly what has happened." | "I'm receiving regular updates. The Home Office will work closely with Essex Police as we establish exactly what has happened." |
| 'Contempt for life' | 'Contempt for life' |
| Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was "shocked and saddened", while Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price said it was "sickening news". | Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was "shocked and saddened", while Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price said it was "sickening news". |
| During PMQs, Ms Doyle-Price said: "To put 39 people into a locked metal container shows a contempt for human life that is evil. The best thing we can do in memory of those victims is to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice." | During PMQs, Ms Doyle-Price said: "To put 39 people into a locked metal container shows a contempt for human life that is evil. The best thing we can do in memory of those victims is to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice." |
| Mr Johnson responded saying "all such traders in human beings should be hunted down and brought to justice". | Mr Johnson responded saying "all such traders in human beings should be hunted down and brought to justice". |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was an "unbelievable human tragedy", adding: "Can we just think for a moment of what it must have been like for those 39 people, obviously in a desperate and dangerous situation, for their lives to end, suffocated to death in a container?" | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was an "unbelievable human tragedy", adding: "Can we just think for a moment of what it must have been like for those 39 people, obviously in a desperate and dangerous situation, for their lives to end, suffocated to death in a container?" |
| Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told the Dail that investigations would be undertaken to establish if the lorry had passed through Ireland. | Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told the Dail that investigations would be undertaken to establish if the lorry had passed through Ireland. |
| Tricky task of catching the people smugglers | |
| Since the Calais migrant camps were shut three years ago and security measures were increased at Dover and the Channel Tunnel, people smugglers have increasingly moved to other routes. | |
| Asked which ports are being used, the National Crime Agency told me: "All of them." | |
| More dangerous methods are being used to get human cargo through. | |
| The most common one is being hidden in the back of a lorry, but increasingly commercial shipping containers are being used, sometimes even refrigerated ones of the type seen on the back of the truck in Essex. | |
| Risks are substantial for the migrants, who can pay £10,000 or more for a space on these vehicles. | |
| Read more:Tricky task of catching the people smugglers | |
| How many migrants have died in transit? | How many migrants have died in transit? |
| The number of migrants who die in transit has been recorded by the UN since 2014. | The number of migrants who die in transit has been recorded by the UN since 2014. |
| Since then, five bodies of suspected migrants have been found in lorries or containers in the UK: | Since then, five bodies of suspected migrants have been found in lorries or containers in the UK: |
| Data was not collected in the same way before the migrant crisis began in 2014, but such deaths are not new. | Data was not collected in the same way before the migrant crisis began in 2014, but such deaths are not new. |
| In 2000, 58 Chinese migrants were found suffocated to death in a lorry at Dover. | In 2000, 58 Chinese migrants were found suffocated to death in a lorry at Dover. |
| In 2015, the bodies of 71 people were found in an abandoned lorry on an Austrian motorway. Police suspected the vehicle was part of a Bulgarian-Hungarian human trafficking operation. | In 2015, the bodies of 71 people were found in an abandoned lorry on an Austrian motorway. Police suspected the vehicle was part of a Bulgarian-Hungarian human trafficking operation. |
| Essex Police has set up a casualty bureau for anyone concerned about relatives to call. | Essex Police has set up a casualty bureau for anyone concerned about relatives to call. |
| The British Red Cross has confirmed staff and volunteers were helping "those dealing with this terrible tragedy". | The British Red Cross has confirmed staff and volunteers were helping "those dealing with this terrible tragedy". |
| Are you in the area? If it is safe for you to do so please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in the area? If it is safe for you to do so please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below: | Or use the form below: |