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| Essex lorry deaths: Police continue to question driver | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police are continuing to question a man over the discovery of 39 bodies in a refrigerated lorry trailer in Essex. | Police are continuing to question a man over the discovery of 39 bodies in a refrigerated lorry trailer in Essex. |
| The lorry driver, named locally as Mo Robinson, 25, from Portadown, County Armagh, was arrested on suspicion of murder on Wednesday. | The lorry driver, named locally as Mo Robinson, 25, from Portadown, County Armagh, was arrested on suspicion of murder on Wednesday. |
| It came after the bodies of 39 people had been found in a container which had arrived in Purfleet on the River Thames from Zeebrugge, Belgium. | It came after the bodies of 39 people had been found in a container which had arrived in Purfleet on the River Thames from Zeebrugge, Belgium. |
| The suspect remains in custody for questioning by Essex Police. | The suspect remains in custody for questioning by Essex Police. |
| Meanwhile, officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland have carried out raids on two houses associated with the arrested man - one in Markethill, County Armagh, and another in nearby Laurelvale. | Meanwhile, officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland have carried out raids on two houses associated with the arrested man - one in Markethill, County Armagh, and another in nearby Laurelvale. |
| And the National Crime Agency said it had sent officers to assist and identify any "organised crime groups who may have played a part". | And the National Crime Agency said it had sent officers to assist and identify any "organised crime groups who may have played a part". |
| Ambulance staff discovered the bodies in the refrigerated unit at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays just after 01:30 BST on Wednesday. The lorry and trailer left the port at Purfleet shortly after 01:05. | Ambulance staff discovered the bodies in the refrigerated unit at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays just after 01:30 BST on Wednesday. The lorry and trailer left the port at Purfleet shortly after 01:05. |
| Eric Van Duyse, a spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor's office, said that an investigation into the incident had begun. | Eric Van Duyse, a spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor's office, said that an investigation into the incident had begun. |
| He added: "We have no idea at the moment how long the lorry spent in Belgium, it could be hours or days, we just don't know." | He added: "We have no idea at the moment how long the lorry spent in Belgium, it could be hours or days, we just don't know." |
| Police said the tractor unit (the front part of the lorry) came from Northern Ireland and picked up the trailer from Purfleet. | Police said the tractor unit (the front part of the lorry) came from Northern Ireland and picked up the trailer from Purfleet. |
| Deputy Chief Constable of Essex Police Pippa Mills said the vehicle had been moved to a secure site at Tilbury Docks so the bodies of the 38 adults and one teenager could be "recovered while preserving the dignity of the victims". | Deputy Chief Constable of Essex Police Pippa Mills said the vehicle had been moved to a secure site at Tilbury Docks so the bodies of the 38 adults and one teenager could be "recovered while preserving the dignity of the victims". |
| A spokesman for the Bulgarian foreign affairs ministry said the truck was registered in the country under the name of a company owned by an Irish citizen. | A spokesman for the Bulgarian foreign affairs ministry said the truck was registered in the country under the name of a company owned by an Irish citizen. |
| He said it was "highly unlikely" the deceased were Bulgarians. | He said it was "highly unlikely" the deceased were Bulgarians. |
| 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. |
| 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: |