UK police find bodies of 39 people inside truck container

Police found the bodies of 39 people inside a truck container believed to have come from Bulgaria at an industrial estate to the east of London on Wednesday, Reuters has reported.

The driver, a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, police said.

“This is a tragic incident where a large number of people have lost their lives. We are in the process of identifying the victims, however I anticipate that this could be a lengthy process. We have arrested the lorry driver in connection with the incident who remains in police custody as our enquiries continue,” Chief Superintendent Andrew Mariner, from Essex Police, said.

Police made the grim discovery in the early hours of Wednesday at the Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, about 20 miles from central London and close to docks on the River Thames. The 39 victims, 38 adults and one teenager, were all pronounced dead at the scene.