39 bodies found in lorry container in England

An aerial view as police forensic officers attend the scene after a truck was found to contain a large number of dead bodies, in Thurock, South England. Police in southeastern England said that 39 people were found dead Wednesday inside a truck container believed to have come from Bulgaria. Picture: UK Pool via AP

An aerial view as police forensic officers attend the scene after a truck was found to contain a large number of dead bodies, in Thurock, South England. Police in southeastern England said that 39 people were found dead Wednesday inside a truck container believed to have come from Bulgaria. Picture: UK Pool via AP

Published Oct 23, 2019

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London - Police in south-eastern England said emergency

services recovered 39 bodies early Wednesday from a lorry container

believed to have been driven from Bulgaria.

Essex Police said they investigated a report early Wednesday of "a

lorry container with people inside" at the Waterglade Industrial Park

near the town of Grays.

"Emergency services arrived but sadly, 39 people were pronounced dead

at the scene," the police said, adding that early indications

suggested the victims were 38 adults and one teenager.

They said the truck driver, a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland,

was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted that she was "shocked & saddened

by this utterly tragic incident."

"This is a tragic incident where a large number of people have lost

their lives. Our enquiries are ongoing to establish what has

happened," Essex Police Chief Superintendent Andrew Mariner said in a

statement.

"We are in the process of identifying the victims, however I

anticipate that this could be a lengthy process," Mariner said.

"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."

Holyhead is a port in North Wales with vehicle ferry links to Dublin

in Ireland.

dpa

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