British authorities are investigating a possible people-smuggling operation after 39 bodies were found in a refrigerated truck in an Essex industrial park. Police say identifying the victims will take time, but early reports suggest they may have died from extreme cold, as temperatures inside the trailer could drop to -25°C.
The driver, 25-year-old Mo Robinson from County Armagh, was arrested on suspicion of murder and is still being questioned. His social media shows he was passionate about truck driving. Police in Northern Ireland have searched two homes linked to him. His partner, who is pregnant, told local media she has no idea why he was detained.
Investigators are trying to track the victims’ final route. The truck and trailer appear to have travelled separately before meeting in England. Police believe the container came by ferry from Zeebrugge, Belgium, to Purfleet, while the truck travelled from Northern Ireland to Dublin, then to Wales, and finally collected the trailer in England.
The vehicle was registered in Bulgaria to a company owned by an Irish citizen. Belgian officials say they do not yet know how long the trailer was in Belgium. On Wednesday night, police escorted the truck from the industrial estate so the bodies could be removed, with the driver wearing full forensic gear to guide the vehicle.
