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All 39 Essex lorry victims have been formally identified, police say

Police in the UK say they have identified all 39 people whose bodies were discovered in a lorry i...
Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

14.53 7 Nov 2019


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All 39 Essex lorry victims hav...

All 39 Essex lorry victims have been formally identified, police say

Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

14.53 7 Nov 2019


Share this article


Police in the UK say they have identified all 39 people whose bodies were discovered in a lorry in Essex last month.

Officers had been working with Vietnamese authorities in their efforts to identify the victims.

Formal identification has now been completed, and the victims' families have been notified.

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Senior coroner Caroline Beasley Murray offered her deepest condolences to the families.

Meanwhile, assistant chief constable Tim Smith - who is leading the investigation - said the formal identification of the victims represents an "important step" in their inquiry.

He said: "[It] enables us to work with our Vietnamese Police colleagues to support the families of those victims.

"It is only right that we provide an opportunity for family members to take in the news confirming the death of their loved ones before releasing any further information.

"Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those whose tragic journey ended on our shores."

Police say the lorry trailer at the centre of the case traveled from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Grays, Essex.

The 39 bodies were discovered in Essex on October 23rd, prompting a major police investigation.

25-year-old lorry driver Maurice Robinson, of Craigavon in County Armagh, has been charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration, and money laundering.

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Eamonn Harrison, from Mayobridge in Co Down, faces extradition from Ireland to the UK to face charges over the discovery of the bodies.

Investigators have also urged two men from Armagh - Ronan Hughes (40) and his brother Christopher (34) - to hand themselves in to police.

Main image: File photo - Police officers work at the scene where 39 bodies were found in a shipping container in Essex. Picture by: Lei Yi·tang/Xinhua News Agency/PA Images

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