London police arrest driver of the truck carrying 39 bodies from Bulgaria

British police have begun the process of trying to identify 39 bodies found in a refrigerated lorry trailer in Essex. The trailer arrived in Purfleet on the River Thames from Zeebrugge, Belgium, last night.

The lorry driver, from Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, is being questioned by police. Deputy Chief Constable of Essex Police Pippa Mills said the vehicle had been moved to a secure site. She said identifying the deceased was expected to be a “lengthy process”.

The police found thirty-nine bodies yesterday near London in the container of a truck which came from Bulgaria. A 25-year-old driver from Northern Ireland has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of the 39 people.

Essex Police said early indications are that 38 adults and one teenager have died. They said the truck came from Bulgaria and entered the country via Holyhead on Saturday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that he was appalled by this tragic incident and pledged to work closely with Essex Police to establish exactly what happened.

In 2014, as many as 34 Afghan Sikhs, suffering from severe dehydration, hypothermia and lack of air, were found alive inside a shipping container. One man was found dead, having passed away during the sea crossing from Belgium.

The Hindu

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