[59], On 15 December 2020, a Vietnamese man who was believed to have been involved in transporting 10 of the 39 migrants from a safehouse in Anderlecht was arrested in Redditch by National Crime Agency officers on a European Arrest Warrant issued by a Belgian judge. He got out of the cab, went to the rear of the trailer and opened the doors. In the weeks before the tragic journey, the gang, led by Hughes and Nica, organised at least two other journeys smuggling Vietnamese migrants packed into the back of lorries into the UK. [98] He also urged his country's Foreign Ministry to direct the Vietnamese embassy in UK to closely monitor the situation, co-ordinate with the British authorities to verify the identities of the victims and take protective measures in case it was confirmed Vietnamese were among them. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. [34] British police had also searched two properties in Northern Ireland. Both Robinson and Hughes, of Tyholland, County Monaghan, admitted 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiring to assist unlawful immigration. [88] The first part was broadcast on 4 November after re-editing in the light of the 39 deaths, despite the Home Office describing the timing as "both insensitive and irresponsible". Glen Freeland, from GSF Car Parts which is close to where the bodies were found, said staff could not access the shop on Eastern Avenue on Wednesday morning. Matthew Long, deputy director of National Crime Agency, said the whole idea of some kind of special service was a con. Antnio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, tweeted that those responsible "must be swiftly brought to justice". Channel 4 defended its decision as meeting its public service obligations, arguing that revelation of the ease with which people could be smuggled into Britain had become a "matter of urgent public interest". One of them, a man known to the court only as Witness X, gave evidence at the Old Bailey. Temperatures in the unit had reached an "unbearable" 38.5C (101F) as the migrants were sealed inside for at least 12 hours, the court heard. The court heard Robinson - who discovered the bodies after collecting the trailer when it arrived in Purfleet, Essex - had received a message from Hughes which read: "Give them air quickly, don't let them out.". [84] Diane Abbott, Shadow Home Secretary, said greater international co-operation was needed to prevent similar events happening again. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Ms Andrews described ringing police again after seeing the news of the 39 deaths on social media. 42 Essex Lorry Deaths Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 42 Essex Lorry Deaths Premium High Res Photos Browse 42 essex lorry deaths stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. [11][12], On 2 November, police clarified they were all Vietnamese. Nine people have so far been convicted of crimes related to the incident in the UK and a further nineteen have been jailed in Belgium. [81], In January 2022, 19 people were convicted in Belgium of being part of a people smuggling ring connected to the deaths, including the ringleader Vo Van Hong who was sentenced to 15 years in prison. When Robinson discovered the bodies, there was a series of telephone conversations between him and Nica and Hughes, of Tyholland, County Monaghan, Ireland, before the driver eventually dialled 999. Many of the 28 men, eight women and three boys found dead in the trailer were in Paris the day before their deaths. [55] On 29 April 2020 he appeared before the High Court via videolink, during which he was described as the "ringleader" of a criminal gang. A 25-year-old Vietnamese woman is believed to be among the dead after her family received a haunting series of text messages. But he couldn't find work in Germany. It was a discovery that would hurl Essex into the international spotlight as police, press and forensics descended on the industrial estate that had become the scene of a devastating mass grave. I want to come back to my family. [5][6][7][8] The trailer was loaded onto the freight ferry Clementine in Zeebrugge in Belgium. "For the 39 men and women inside, that lorry had become their tomb. "He said he would not go in a container lorry and that it needed to be safe, even though the truck option was a lot cheaper.". Witness X described how he was ushered on to the back of the trailer at a rendezvous point in northern France. His barrister said Robinson, who admitted manslaughter, being part of the trafficking plot and money laundering, was "horrified by what he saw". It then travelled through the Republic of Ireland to Dublin, and from there by sea to Holyhead in Wales, from where it was driven to Purfleet. He pleaded guilty last year to 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiring to bring people into the country unlawfully. We choose the most important stories of the day to include in the newsletter, including crime, court news, long reads, traffic and travel, food and drink articles and more. [40] He was remanded in custody, to appear at the Central Criminal Court on 25 November. Eamonn Harrison, a lorry driver from Northern Ireland, who dropped the trailer off at Zebrugge, and Gheorghe Nica, the coordinator of the smuggling operation, from Romania, were found guilty of manslaughter. When it became obvious that there was insufficient oxygen they made desperate attempts to escape through the roof of the lorry, and tried to call emergency services in Vietnam. One man spoke with ragged breaths to his family, saying: I cant breathe. While the migrants were detained by the French authorities, the driver Christopher Kennedy was allowed to continue on his way to Kent. 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. [85], Extra UK immigration officers are to be deployed at the Belgian border port of Zeebrugge and more Border Force staff will operate at Purfleet as a result of the incident. Among those killed was a married couple - Tran Hai Loc and Nguyen Thi Van. "They loaded too many people into a single trailer the people smugglers were under pressure to double up. Sign up here. He had seen a friend's Facebook post showing that they had made it to London. Witness X was taken to Phong's house in south London, where he stayed until his parents had "paid his fare" - a fare Witness X described as "too much" for what was supposed to be another "VIP" trip. Those inside had stripped to their underwear in the sweltering heat and tried to bash their way out of the trailer's roof. [78] Prosecutors are considering charges against a further three people. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. They were left to die, all because of the greed of the men who have been sentenced today., The home secretary, Priti Patel, said: The inhumanity of these callous people smugglers and their dangerous organised criminal networks has rightly been reflected in the sentencing today.. Essex Police investigate serious crime scene on Cromer Road, Southend-On-Sea, Essex. The deaths have been a wake-up call for police. Detectives believe the vehicle was travelling from Bulgaria and entered the UK three days ago via Holyhead in north Wales, one of the main port for ferries from Ireland. [87], Channel 4 postponed a television series called Smuggled that was due to air on 28 October, in which British citizens try to smuggle themselves from mainland Europe to the UK. Families were worried they could still be left in debt, despite over 84,000 having been raised to help them. A restaurant worker in the industrial estate, who did not want to be named, said: "There's a lot of police and forensics. he 39 people found dead in a refrigerated lorry were already trapped when they arrived at the Belgian coast en route to England, local officials have said. Update: Essex police have confirmed that no further action will be taken against Christopher Hughes. ", Video evidence showed how the trainer containing 39 Vietnamese migrants made its way to the UK. He was later arrested in Germany. "I immediately recognised this cab and trailer on the news as certainly being the same one that I had seen on both 11 October and 18 October, 2019," she said. The first responders who arrived at the lorry were met by the devastating and traumatic sight of the bodies of the men and women lying dead in the back. [57][58], On 26 May 2020 French and Belgian police announced the arrest of 26 people suspected of human trafficking in relation to the Essex lorry deaths. The message said: "Give them air quickly don't let them out". In addition, Valentin Calota from Birmingham and Christopher Kennedy, from County Armagh, were found guilty of immigration offences. "I can't breathe," he said. [69] The fact that many locations were mentioned in the warrant did not mean that the offences were extraterritorial and the accused was in the UK and had acted to further an act of conspiracy that underpinned the charges of manslaughter. Eamonn Harrison, who delivered the trailer to Zeebrugge was sentenced to 18 years. Robinson had driven from Holyhead, a major Irish Sea port in north-west Wales, to collect the trailer. His father, Hoang Van Lanh, believed his son was tricked, possibly at the last moment. A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted in a Belgian court of being the ringleader in the trafficking of 39 migrants whose bodies were found inside a lorry in the UK. In his evidence, Nica said Robinson told him: "I have a problem here - dead bodies in the trailer.". Read more: Breaking news and updates on Essex crime. [48], On 9 February 2020, a man was arrested in Northern Ireland on suspicion of manslaughter and facilitating unlawful immigration, and was released on bail. Police have begun the process of moving the bodies of 39 people found dead in a refrigerated lorry in Essex. Parents of one of the youngest victims, Nguyen Huy Hung, who was 15 when he died, paid tribute to their peaceful and smart son. All of the paramedics who attended that night were offered "enhanced support" from the service's well-being team in the aftermath, she said. "We thought maybe someone had broken into a lorry, but it's just awful. [7][10][11], The Zeebrugge port chairman said it was "highly unlikely" the migrants entered the trailer there, and that breaking the seal, loading 39 people and resealing the trailer without being noticed would be "virtually impossible". Ronan Hughes, 41, who ran a haulage company and organised the lorries and drivers to transport the migrants, was sentenced to 20 years at the Old Bailey on Friday. "I want to come back to my family. From this point onwards, a sensor inside the trailer tells its own story of a relentless rise in temperature. [54] On 20 April 2020 a 40-year-old man was arrested in the Republic of Ireland in connection with the deaths. Robinson, of Craigavon, County Armagh, returned to his cab before driving off and making his first call to Hughes. "The day he left it was 6th September. Additionally, money was donated by Vingroup, and other Vietnamese associations across Europe. Maurice Robinson, 26, the lorry driver from Northern Ireland who collected the container containing the 39 people from the port in Essex in October 2019, and also pleaded guilty last year to . Four people received a custodial sentence of at least 13 years. He slowly brought the lorry to a stop at the industrial estate, got out of the cab and opened the trailer door. RM 2B4WWCW - Southend, Essex, UK. They're all lying on the ground. [77] Sentencing hearings for all eight guilty men are expected in January 2021. He did not have a chance to fulfil his dream, they said in a statement. They died excruciatingly slow deaths, the judge said, of asphyxia and hyperthermia, or overheating. He saw what was inside and stepped back before closing the door. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. A week later, she saw the same red-cabbed lorry in front of her home, near the village golf club, during yet another smuggling run. "I didn't take my eyes off the lorry while I was on the [999] call.". They had all paid huge sums of money to reach Britain in search of a better life - paying up to 13,000 each. Want the latest Essex news direct to your inbox? This article does contains many crime scene photos, as well as the group's strangely joyful exit interview video which was shot just before their deaths, Applewhite's final video, a house tour while the bodies were still inside, and an interview with a surviving member who does show a video of the cult going about their daily routines. "We have arrested the lorry driver in connection with the incident who remains in police custody as our enquiries continue. "No-one would choose to travel in such a dangerous way," she said. The families of the victims who lost their lives continue to mourn their losses, with many still struggling with the debts of the money they spent in search of a better life. 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Extradition proceedings launched", "Essex lorry deaths: Vietnamese police arrest eight people", "Man charged with immigration offence over Essex lorry deaths", "Essex lorry deaths: Vietnamese police charge seven people", "Essex lorry deaths: fifth charged over deaths of 39 Vietnamese people", "Essex lorry deaths: Man charged with immigration offence", "Essex lorry deaths: Man held in Ireland faces manslaughter charges", "Monaghan man facing extradition to UK over Essex lorry deaths was 'ringleader' in criminal gang, court hears", "Man alleged to be 'the ringleader' and 'chief organiser' of organised criminal group refused bail by High Court", "Man facing extradition to UK over migrant deaths refused bail", "Essex lorry deaths: 26 arrested in France and Belgium", "Grays lorry deaths: 'Taxi driver brought Vietnamese victims to continent', "Essex lorry deaths case: Haulier Caolan Gormley in court", "Essex lorry deaths: Haulier denies role in migrant smuggling plot", "Essex lorry deaths: Man held in Italy over the deaths of 39 migrants", "Essex lorry deaths: Man arrested in Middlesbrough in people-smuggling probe linked to deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants", "Essex lorry deaths: Police release image of suspect Marius Draghici wanted in connection with deaths of 39 Vietnamese nationals", "Lorry driver admits plot after 39 migrant deaths", "Essex lorry deaths: Irish truck driver denies human trafficking charges", "NI lorry driver admits manslaughter over Essex deaths", "Essex lorry deaths: State says defence raised 'nonsensical' claim at Monaghan man's extradition hearing", "Essex lorry deaths: Ronan Hughes to be extradited to UK", "Essex lorry deaths: haulier pleads guilty to manslaughter", "Essex lorry deaths: Ronan Hughes admits manslaughter", "Essex lorry deaths: Man admits offence linked to people-smuggling", "Essex lorry deaths: Four people jailed in Vietnam", "Vietnamese teenager accused over lorry migrants' deaths is wanted in Belgium", "Court orders extradition 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people from China, the world's second-biggest economy, risk their lives to enter the UK? Det Ch Insp Daniel Stoten said: "May this serve as a warning to those who think it's OK to prey on the vulnerabilities of migrants and their families, transporting them in a way worse than we would transport animals. Hughes, of County Monaghan, Ireland, and Robinson, who took the initial 999 call had previously admitted manslaughter. RM GA0448 - A police officer at the scene of a shooting at Rayleigh railway station in Essex, after a member of the public was shot armed robbers today. A screengrab of Maurice Robinson leaving Purfleet port. The Vietnamese 45-year-old was among 18 people who were convicted of being involved in the deaths of 31 men and eight women aged between 15 and 44. PC Jack Emerson was one of the first at the scene. Early indications suggest the victims are 38 adults and one teenager. The stories of the 39 show their journeys from Vietnam were often done in stages. Robinson, from County Armagh, collected the trailer when it arrived on UK shores just after midnight on 23 October. [75] On 8 April 2021, his extradition was approved. It was a shock, like anybody would be shocked to see this, particularly down a lane people would not know," Ms Andrews told the Old Bailey. I want to come back to my family. The victims were 28 men, eight women and three children, two of them aged 15. The prosecution described the people-smuggling conspiracy as sophisticated, long-running and profitable. He loved football very much and he loved UK teams as well as the Champions League. [56] Bail was refused on 30 April. "[53], On 17 April 2020, a 42-year-old man from Tottenham was charged with an immigration offence related to the deaths. I am sorry. [79], On 22 January 2021 the culprits were jailed for the incident. It was never sent. [63], On 17 June 2021 a Vietnamese man who is being sought by Belgian authorities for extradition in connection with the deaths was arrested at a supermarket petrol station in Middlesbrough. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. [26] Names, ages and hometowns were released on 8 November; 20 were from Ngh An Province, 10 from H Tnh, 4 from Haiphong, 3 from Qung Bnh, 1 from Din Chu District and 1 from Tha Thin-Hu. Valentin Calota, 38, a pickup driver from Romania, who collected migrants from the lorry drop-off spot in Essex and drove them to London during an earlier consignment, was sentenced to four and a half years. [13] The lorry was in Eastern Avenue at the Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, Essex. "And finding out at the very last minute, and realising as you die, that the VIP service was a terrible lie, is exactly what you see from these organised crime groups. [69] The counsel for the state pointed out that the 39 people died after the trailer had entered the UK and that it was nonsensical to suggest their deaths had occurred anywhere other than the UK. The bodies of 39 migrants found dead in a lorry trailer in Essex were so closely packed together the first policeman on the scene could not check them all for signs of life, a court has heard. [60], On 17 March 2021 a 23-year-old haulier from Caledon, County Tyrone was charged with conspiracy to assist illegal immigration in connection with the deaths. Five people were found not guilty. Speaking previously, Chief Superintendent Andrew Mariner, of Essex Police, said: "This is a tragic incident where a large number of people have lost their lives. The four defendants charged with manslaughter all said they had not intended harm to the victims, but the judge noted that the conspiracy was committed for financial gain. [9] It arrived in Purfleet, a town with a port on the Thames, at around 00:30 on 23 October and was picked up with the cab there about half-an-hour later. GPS data showed it had previously travelled to Dunkirk and Lille in France and Bruges in Belgium. Essex lorry deaths: Trafficking ringleader jailed for 15 years after 39 died from suffocation and hyperthermia, The 39 people whose bodies were discovered in a lorry in Grays, Essex, in October 2019. Maurice Robinson, 26, was given 13 years and four months, having collected the trailer and opened it in an industrial estate to find the migrants dead. Belgian officials said the eight women . Det Ch Insp Daniel Stoten, of Essex Police, said: "They are callous and they are dangerous and they are out to exploit these people. During the voyage, the temperature rose from the high 20s all the way up to 38.5C (101F), by which point the air was too toxic for human life. [89], In October 2021, the BBC broadcast the hour-long documentary Hunting the Essex Lorry Killers. "All we know is they found the bodies in the back of a lorry. [4][14], The ambulance service said that all 39 people were dead before it arrived, and attempts at resuscitation could not be made. Investigations are being led by Essex Police, and involve the national authorities of the UK, Belgium, Ireland and Vietnam. ", "Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on October 25, 2019", Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, "CNN slammed for rushing to attack China in report of UK lorry death", "China says identity of victims still being confirmed", "PM orders investigation into overseas trafficking of Vietnamese citizens", "Essex lorry deaths: Vietnam condemns 'human trafficking', "Vietnam offers loans to families to return bodies", "Vietnam offers grieving families loans to return bodies", "Fundraisers help send Vietnam's lorry dead home", "Essex lorry deaths: All victims' bodies back in Vietnam", Young Vietnamese workers risking life and death on 'the line' to Europe, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Essex_lorry_deaths&oldid=1120801721, October 2019 events in the United Kingdom, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 November 2022, at 22:09. Who are the victims in the Essex lorry tragedy? The trial exposed for the first time a complex and lucrative operation which has for years illegally brought Vietnamese people into the UK. The father of Nguyen Huy Tung, one of two 15-year-olds in the container, later learned of his son's death via social media. Pham Thi Ngoc Oanh, 28, from Nghe An, wrote a text message that was never sent, The 39 people who died in the back of a trailer as it crossed the North Sea between Zeebrugge and the UK, Hoang Van Tiep's parents Hoang Thi Ai (left) and Hoang Van Lanh said their son had paid for a "VIP service", They are callous and they are dangerous and they are out to exploit these people. Harrison, of Newry, County Down, claimed he did not know there were people in the trailer when he towed it to the Belgian port, and that he watched "a wee bit of Netflix" in bed as they were loaded on. During the trial, jurors were given a snapshot of the victims - who included a bricklayer, a university graduate and a nail bar technician - and their dreams of a better life. Murder detectives try to identify 38 adults and teenager thought to have come in trailer from Belgium. He was also a good player. Have a good life.". "We are in the process of identifying the victims, however I anticipate that this could be a lengthy process. The ship left Zeebrugge in the middle of the afternoon, bound for the port of Purfleet-on-Thames, in Essex. In the BBC documentary Hunting the Essex Lorry Killers, it shared some of the devastating testimonies from the victims' families. They are believed to have been either victims of human trafficking (for example, as forced labourers), migrants who paid smugglers to move them to the United Kingdom, or both. I am sorry. Two years on from the tragedy, we look back to mourn the lives lost and the investigation which brought those responsible to justice. It was here that a number of people were seen being delivered by taxi to an agricultural shed, before later clambering into a lorry. The trial examined three smuggling attempts by the gang - two that were successful on 11 and 18 October, and the final trip on 23 October. 2023 BBC. A 25-year-old lorry driver from Northern Ireland has been arrested, Essex Police says. [11] The police suspect that an Irish people-smuggling ring which has been under investigation for around a year might be involved. [71][72] Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga, of Tilbury, and Gazmir Nuzi, of Tottenham, also pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration in June and September 2020 respectively. He was immediately released having already served his sentence in custody. [86], Campaigners against human trafficking organised a vigil to take place outside the Home Office on 24 October in solidarity with the casualties. The two main offenders, Ronan Hughes and Gheorghe Nica, were given 20 years (for 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiring to bring people into the country unlawfully) and 27 years (for manslaughter and people-smuggling), respectively. More than 1,300 Essex police officers were involved in the case. We knew people who had already made the journey. 7th March 2020. It was accepted he was not a member of the organised crime group behind the smuggling operation. The twice-daily update will deliver the top news and features to your inbox every morning and evening. Lorry driver Maurice Robinson, 26, of Craigavon, leaving Purfleet port, Essex, Purfleet Thames Terminal the day 39 bodies were found in a container in Grays, The lorry was discovered in Waterglade Industrial Park on Eastern Avenue in Grays, (Image: (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)), The 39 victims and their families had paid thousands to give them a better life in Britain, Court artist sketch of Gheorghe Nica (left) and Eamonn Harrison (right) two of four men to face trial, at the Old Bailey, Bui Phan Thang, 37, from Ha Tinh, one of the 39 Vietnamese migrants.