Essex lorry deaths: Police in ‘direct contact’ with families of victims
Written by News on 02/11/2019
Police investigating the Essex lorry deaths say they are in direct contact with some of the victims’ families, who they now believe all came from Vietnam.
In a statement, Essex Police said: “At this time, we believe the victims are Vietnamese nationals, and we are in contact with the Vietnamese government.
“We are in direct contact with a number of families in Vietnam and the UK, and we believe we have identified families for some of the victims whose journey ended in tragedy on our shores.”
A 23-year-old man has been charged in connection with the deaths of 39 people in a lorry trailer in Essex.
Eamon Harrison appeared in court in Dublin after being detained on a European Arrest Warrant and extradition proceedings have been launched.
It comes as Essex Police made a direct appeal to two other suspects.
Officers said they had spoken to one of the men, Ronan Hughes, 40, by phone. He is wanted along with his brother, 34-year-old Christopher Hughes, on suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking.
From Armagh in Northern Ireland, they also have links to the Republic of Ireland, and to the road haulage and shipping industries.
“Today I want to make a direct appeal – Ronan and Christopher, hand yourselves in to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI),” said Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Stoten.
“We need you both to come forward and assist this investigation.”
Mr Stoten added: “Although we have already spoken to Ronan Hughes recently by telephone we need to have a conversation with him and his brother in person.
“Talking to Ronan and Christopher is crucial to our investigation and the sooner we can make this happen the sooner we can progress and continue with our investigation.”
Mr Stoten said a lorry believed to be connected to the brothers was stopped and seized by the PSNI on Thursday, but no further arrests were made.
He said the Essex force would continue to work with the PSNI and Irish police “until Ronan and Christopher Hughes have come forward or are arrested”.
The bodies of eight women and 31 men were found in a refrigerated trailer at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, Essex, in the early hours of 23 October.
Detectives initially believed they were all Chinese nationals, but have now said they think they are Vietnamese.
Police in Vietnam have arrested two people and are questioning a number of others after 10 families reported their relatives missing.
Some are said to have paid thousands of pounds to traffickers to guarantee their safe passage to the UK, where they could work and send money home.
On Monday, lorry driver Maurice “Mo” Robinson, 25, from Craigavon in Northern Ireland, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration, and money laundering.
Three other people arrested in connection with the discovery – two men aged 38 and 46 and a 38-year-old woman – have been released on bail.
(c) Sky News 2019: Essex lorry deaths: Police in ‘direct contact’ with families of victims
