UK - 39 bodies found in lorry container, Essex, 23 Oct 2019 #2

Police say 39 bodies found in lorry container in Essex - driver has been arrested

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39 bodies found in Essex lorry container

Thread #1

 

Sky News
@SkyNews

BREAKING: Thirty-nine bodies have been found inside a lorry container at an industrial park in Essex. More on this #breakingnews here: http://po.st/wbOI2Q

(Video)

Sky News on Twitter

 

Q Radio News

@qnewsdesk

Essex Police say a murder investigation has been launched after 39 people were found dead in lorry container. A 25-year-old man believed to be from Northern Ireland has been arrested.

Q Radio News on Twitter

 

What the...

What are the initial thoughts on this one? Human trafficking? Immigrants? Whatever's happened here, whoever those people are, it's sickening

 

23 October 2019:

Murder probe launched after 39 bodies found inside lorry in Essex



A murder probe has been launched after 39 bodies were found in a lorry in Essex.

Emergency services were called to Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays at around 1.40am this morning.

When they arrived they found the bodies of 39 people in the back of a vehicle.

Early indications suggest 38 are adults and one a teenager.

Murder probe launched after 39 bodies found inside lorry in Essex

 

A court artist’s image of Maurice Robinson during his first appearance at Chelmsford Magistrates Court, charged with the manslaughter of 39 people found dead in a refrigerated trailer in Grays. He is also charged with human trafficking, immigration and money laundering offences.



BBC Essex on Twitter

 

Articles from today - 28 October 2019:

Mo Robinson part of a "global ring" court told at first appearance in Essex

https://7news.com.au/news/crime/ess...ars-in-court-on-manslaughter-charges-c-527866

Live updates as Mo Robinson appears in court this morning

Northern Irishman Maurice Robinson appears in court after 39 migrants found dead

Essex lorry deaths: 25-year-old man remanded in custody over 39 deaths - LBC News

 

Detectives originally believed the vehicle had traveled from Bulgaria and entered the UK three days ago via Holyhead in Wales.

39 people found dead in truck in England were Chinese victims of human smuggling
All 39 people found dead in a container truck near an English port were Chinese citizens, British police confirmed Thursday as they investigated one of the country's deadliest cases of people smuggling. The Essex Police force said 31 men and eight women were found dead in the truck early Wednesday

 

Significant tweets from 28 October 2019:

A recap of his indictment in full; he has been charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and money laundering.

Ellis Whitehouse on Twitter

A 38-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman from Warrington were arrested in Cheshire on Friday, while a 45-year-old man from Northern Ireland was arrested at Stansted Airport.
They were questioned on suspicion of manslaughter and conspiracy to traffic people. All released on bail.

Ellis Whitehouse on Twitter

Photo shows the cab that drove the ill-fated container carrying 39 migrants into Zeebrugge port under armed escort after it was seized at Dublin port on Saturday.The Bulgarian registered cab will know be transported to the UK for further examination..



Padraig O'Reilly Photographer on Twitter

We’re now reading out Robinson’s huge list of charges - 43 in total.

Ellis Whitehouse on Twitter

The issue has been referred straight to crown court - the Old Bailey - on November 25 this year.

Ellis Whitehouse on Twitter

So, finally, here we are:

39 manslaughter, one conspiracy to human traffic, one conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration, one possession of criminal property and one disguising criminal property, namely cash for the last two.

All between December 18 and October this year.

Ellis Whitehouse on Twitter

Robert Jones, Head of Serious Organised Crime at the @NCA_UK says the case of 39 people found dead in a container in #Thurrock is now the “number one priority” for the agency.

(Video)

BBC Essex on Twitter


Statement on 28 October by British Ambassador to #Vietnam @GarethWardUK on the deaths of 39 people in #Essex, UK.

Vietnamese statement to follow in thread.

@NCA_UK @MOFAVietNam



UK in Vietnam on Twitter

 

Link to thread 1:

UK - 39 bodies found in lorry, Essex, 23 October 2019

 

Original release:

Wednesday 23 October 2019 09:23

Emergency services arrived but sadly, 39 people were pronounced dead at the scene. Early indications suggest 38 are adults and one aged in their teens.

A 25-year-old-man from Northern Ireland has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Chief Superintendent Andrew Mariner said: "This is a tragic incident where a large number of people have lost their lives. Our enquiries are ongoing to establish what has happened.

"We are in the process of identifying the victims, however I anticipate that this could be a lengthy process.

"We believe the lorry is from Bulgaria and entered the country at Holyhead on Saturday 19 October and we are working closely with our partners to investigate.

"We have arrested the lorry driver in connection with the incident who remains in police custody as our enquiries continue. I appreciate this cordon is going to disrupt the activity of local businesses in the area and we will work to ensure that disruption is kept as short as possible. We are working with Thurrock Council to mitigate against any impact our investigation scene will have locally."

A cordon has been put in place and access to and from the Waterglade Industrial Park remains closed.

Murder investigation launched after 39 people found dead in lorry container | Essex Police

 

Update:

Wednesday 23 October 2019 11:46

Statement: Deputy Chief Constable Pippa Mills

“Shortly before 1.40am today we received reports that a number of people had been found inside a lorry's container at the Waterglade Industrial Park on Eastern Avenue in Grays. We believe the lorry is from Bulgaria and came in to the UK through Holyhead on the 19th of October.

Emergency services attended but sadly all 39 people inside the container had died. Early indications suggest that one of these people was a teenager, the rest are believed to be adults.

“A murder investigation was launched and the lorry driver, a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland, was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody.

“At this stage we have not identified where the victims are from or their identities, and we anticipate that this could be a lengthy process.

“I would like to thank the local community and in particular those who have been directly affected by the police cordon at the industrial site.

“Thank you for your cooperation. I appreciate the impact the road closure will have on businesses within the cordon.

“I’m unable to say at this stage how long the cordon will be in place but please let me reassure you that my officers and partners will be doing everything they can to release the scene as soon as possible.

“This is an absolute tragedy and very sad day for Essex Police and the local community. We will continue to work alongside many other partner agencies to find out what led to these deaths.

“I would like to appeal for anyone who has any information to contact my officers at the Major Investigation Team on 101 or visit our website. We will update all of our channels as we are able to, but please appreciate we are in the early stages of what is likely to be a lengthy investigation.”

Murder investigation launched after 39 people found dead in lorry container | Essex Police

 

Update:

Wednesday 23 October 2019 12:23

We have set up a casualty bureau for people to call if they are concerned about relatives following the incident at Waterglade Industrial Park, Eastern Avenue, Grays, this morning, Wednesday 23 October.

The Casualty Bureau Numbers are 0800 056 0944 for callers living in the UK, or 0207 158 0010 for callers dialling from outside the UK.

Anyone who has any information about this incident can submit information to the UK Police Major Incident Public Reporting site

Murder investigation launched after 39 people found dead in lorry container | Essex Police

 

Update:

Wednesday 23 October 2019 16:06

Our detectives are continuing their investigation into the events in Grays this morning, Wednesday 23 October.

We were called shortly after 1.40am by our colleagues in the East of England Ambulance Service to reports that, sadly, 39 people had been discovered dead in the container of a lorry at the Waterglade Industrial Park in Eastern Avenue.

Originally, we reported that the lorry had travelled into the country through Holyhead on Saturday 19 October.

After further enquiries, we now believe that the trailer travelled from Zeebrugge into Purfleet, and docked in the Thurrock area shortly after 12:30am this morning. The tractor unit of the lorry is believed to have originated in Northern Ireland.

We believe the lorry and trailer left the port shortly after 1.05am.

The driver of the lorry, a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland, remains in custody having been arrested on suspicion of murder.

A cordon has remained in place at Eastern Avenue for most of the day and this remains in place.

We thank everyone in the area, especially residents and local businesses, for their patience and compassion throughout the day.

This will be a lengthy and complex investigation and we continue to work with local partners and international authorities to gather vital intelligence and identify those who have sadly died.

Anyone who has any information about this incident can submit information to the UK Police Major Incident Public Reporting site

Murder investigation launched after 39 people found dead in lorry container | Essex Police

 

Update:

Thursday 24 October 2019 11:37

A 25-year-old lorry driver from Northern Ireland remains in custody after 39 people were found dead in Grays yesterday morning, Wednesday 23 October.

Throughout yesterday, our detectives worked with partners to conduct initial enquiries into these tragic deaths and we continue to work diligently to piece together the circumstances of this horrific event, which has led to the largest murder investigation in our force’s history.

Our work continues today, and for the foreseeable future, to be focused on providing the victims and their loved ones with an investigation that is filled with dignity, compassion and respect for those who have died.

Our lines of enquiry are extensive and will be thorough. This means that we might not have all the answers straight away. We do have some key facts, which are:

• The tractor unit of the lorry had entered the country via Holyhead on Sunday 20 October, having travelled over from Dublin.
• The lorry then collected the trailer, which had travelled from Zeebrugge, at the port of Purfleet at around 12:30am on the 23 October. The cab and trailer left the port shortly after 1.05am.
• We were called to Waterglade Industrial Park in Eastern Avenue shortly before 1.40am on Wednesday 23 October by our colleagues in the East of England Ambulance Service to reports that 39 people had been found dead in the trailer of a lorry.

Of these, 38 are believed to be adults, and one is a young adult woman. We previously reported that she may have been a teenager. We have since confirmed that eight of the deceased are women and 31 are men and all are believed to be Chinese nationals. We arrested a man on suspicion of murder, who remains in custody.

We want to be clear – we have not speculated about the identity of this man, and we will not do so. We can confirm that three properties in County Armagh have been searched in connection with our investigation.

The lorry has since been removed from the industrial park to allow the next stage of our investigative process to be conducted in peace, and to give the utmost dignity to those within the trailer as we prepare for a coroner’s post-mortem examination.

Each of the 39 people must undergo a full coroner’s process to establish a cause of death, before we move on to attempting to identify each individual within the trailer. This will be a substantial operation and, at this stage, we cannot estimate how long these procedures will take.

Local residents and businesses have shown us the utmost kindness and respect as we deal with this difficult and sensitive investigation. Thank you for patience, your offers for cups of tea for our hardworking teams, for the flowers that have started to appear in Eastern Avenue, and the signatures we know will appear in the Book of Condolences at the Civic Centre.

We would also like to thank all of our local and national partners for their assistance and support, especially the Red Cross who gave our officers a quiet place to go when they needed a moment, and Thurrock Council who have continued to help us ensure that disruption to the local community is minimal.

We will continue to work with partners and other law enforcement agencies to establish exactly how these 39 people lost their lives in such an untimely way. This process will be complex and lengthy, as well as incredibly challenging for all those involved, but we will not stop until we get answers for the loved ones of those who have sadly died.

If you are worried about a family member, friend, or loved one please call our dedicated hotline on 0800 056 0944 if you live in the UK and 0044 207 158 0010 if you’re dialling internationally.

Anyone who has any information about this incident can call 101 or submit information to the UK Police Major Incident Public Reporting site

Murder investigation launched after 39 people found dead in lorry container | Essex Police

 

Update:

Thursday 24 October 2019 14:38

Detectives investigating the murder of 39 people in Grays have secured a warrant of further detention from local magistrates at Basildon for a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland.

The man, a lorry driver, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and will now remain in custody for up to an additional 24 hours.

It follows the tragic discovery of the bodies of 8 women and 31 men in the trailer of a lorry in Waterglade Industrial Park, Grays, shortly before 1.40am on Wednesday 23 October.

Deputy Chief Constable Pippa Mills said: “We continue to ask journalists and those on social media not to speculate about the identity of the lorry driver.

“This is an incredibly sensitive and high-profile investigation, and we are working swiftly to gather as full a picture as possible as to how these people lost their lives.

“Our recovery of the bodies is ongoing and the post-mortem and identification processes, which will be lengthy and complex, can then begin.

“Our number one priority is the preserving the dignity of the 39 people who have died and ensuring that we get answers for their loved ones.”

This afternoon, Superintendent Craig Saunders and Chief Inspector Claire Talbot paid their respects with members of Thurrock Council by signing the open book of condolence at the civic office in Grays.

Our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by this event, and our dedicated hotline for this incident remains open. If you are worried about a loved one and you reside in the UK please call us on 0800 056 0944.

If you are dialling internationally, please call 0044 207 158 0010.

Anyone who has any information about this incident can call 101 or submit information to the UK Police Major Incident Public Reporting site

Murder investigation launched after 39 people found dead in lorry container | Essex Police

 

Update:

Thursday 24 October 2019 20:08

The first 11 victims are being transported under police escort by private ambulance from the Port of Tilbury to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford having left the port at 7.41pm.

The process of victim recovery under the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) process is likely to take some time.

The next stages will be for post-mortem examinations to be carried out.

This is all being done in liaison with HM Coroner and we continue to ensure the dignity of the victims is our primary consideration.

Murder investigation launched after 39 people found dead in lorry container | Essex Police

 

Update:

Thursday 24 October 2019 21:25

Our Chief Constable has released a statement following the tragedy which has unfolded in Essex.

“I am immensely proud of the way the county has come together in the wake of such a tragedy.

As the Chief Constable of Essex Police I have the utmost confidence in the dedicated women and men of this police force as we lead the murder investigation.

This is the largest investigation of its kind Essex Police has ever had to conduct and it is likely to take some considerable time to come to a conclusion.

I am grateful for the support from so many other agencies including the Red Cross and Thurrock Council at the scene providing support to my staff and officers, the NCA and the Home Office as part of the criminal investigation, the Port of Tilbury for accommodating the lorry while we recover the bodies of the victims and the local community for their understanding over the disruption the investigation is causing.

Above all I want to express my sincere condolences to the families of the 39 people who have sadly lost their lives. We will conduct this investigation with respect for every single one of those people.

If you have any information which would assist our murder investigation please call the team on 101.

If you are worried about a loved one and you reside in the UK please call us on 0800 056 0944. If you are dialling internationally, please call 0044 207 158 0010.

I hope the dedication, hard work and collaboration that Essex Police and all our partners have shown so far demonstrates to people everywhere our joint commitment to the task in hand over the days, weeks, and months ahead to bring justice for the families of those who have died.”

Murder investigation launched after 39 people found dead in lorry container | Essex Police

 

Update:

Friday 25 October 12:48

We have carried out warrants in Cheshire as part of the investigation into 39 bodies being discovered in a lorry trailer in Grays.

As a result, a 38-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman from Warrington have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic people and on suspicion of 39 counts of manslaughter.

A 25-year-old man, the driver of the lorry, remains in custody on suspicion of murder. A warrant of further detention was granted yesterday, Thursday 24 October, by local magistrates.

We would continue to ask journalists and those on social media not to speculate of the identities of anyone involved in this investigation.

Last night, Thursday 24 October, we began the movement of the victims from the Port of Tilbury to the chosen mortuary site at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

This is all being done in close liaison with HM Coroner and we continue to work to ensure that the dignity of victims and respect for their loved ones are at the forefront of our investigation.

The first post-mortem examinations will begin today, Friday 25 October.

Formal identification will then follow the coronial process and will be a lengthy but crucial part of this investigation. As our investigations continue, the picture may change regarding identification, and we will continue to provide updates when appropriate under the direction of HM Coroner.

Murder investigation launched after 39 people found dead in lorry container | Essex Police