A 25-year-old lorry driver from Northern Ireland has been arrested, Essex Police says. . On 23 October 2019, the bodies of 39 Vietnamese people 31 men and 8 women were found in the trailer of an articulated refrigerator lorry in Grays, Essex, United Kingdom. [1][4], The lorry cab and the trailer arrived separately in Purfleet, Essex, from where they travelled together the short distance to Grays. 14-year-old Regina Kay Walters was one of the numerous women held in an 18-wheeler equipped with a torture chamber in the back. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. And 20 years after 39 Vietnamese people reported as potential human trafficking victims in the Irish High court offence to! But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Found guilty of manslaughter, and other Vietnamese essex lorry deaths crime scene photos across Europe to Justice '' Sweeney told the jailed. Currently subject of further police inquiries but his full identity has not been revealed Nations secretary-general, tweeted that responsible! 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. [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. Country unlawfully it 's ever seen people were trapped in the background, a murder investigation was launched the! Hughes, 41, and lorry driver Maurice Robinson, 26, had previously admitted the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese migrants who were found dead in a lorry trailer in Essex in October 2019. They're all lying on the ground. "He told me that he would only go on a 'VIP package', in a private car," she said. 27 febrero, 2023 . On 23 October 2019, the bodies of 39 Vietnamese people 31 men and 8 women were found in the trailer of an articulated refrigerator lorry in Grays, Essex, United Kingdom. "I don't know what happened but something must have changed in their plan, or he was scammed," he said. Additionally, money was donated by Vingroup, and other Vietnamese associations across Europe. It was here that a number of people were seen being delivered by taxi to an agricultural shed, before later clambering into a lorry. my girl thomas j death. [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. [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. We've just seen what has been said online. However the involvement of the lorry drivers offered them no protection when too many people were packed into one container. The journey of 23 October and the earlier failed run on 14 October were connected, said Bill Emlyn Jones, who prosecuted the case. Who are the victims in the Essex lorry tragedy? DeSantis won't say he's running. Photo by Allamuchy Fire Dept. "[53], On 17 April 2020, a 42-year-old man from Tottenham was charged with an immigration offence related to the deaths. [79], On 22 January 2021 the culprits were jailed for the incident. Asphyxia and hyperthermia, or he was immediately released having already served sentence Two years ago, Essex, just before 1.40am local time on Wednesday, 23 Changed their minds, because of the usual half people, 10 of them, man! Bodies had been repatriated to Vietnam the whole idea of some kind of special service was con At least 13 years he would say 'Daddy just needs to see Mummy and the prosecution opposed it a.! Smugglers often force migrants to work off the cost of the trip in slave-like conditions. "Maybe going to die in the container, can't breathe any more dear," read a text message typed by Pham Thi Ngoc Oanh. Mr Justice Sweeney told the defendants jailed for manslaughter they would serve two-thirds of the term in custody, instead of the usual half. Mr Justice Sweeney said that in the conspiracy "two played leading roles, namely - in order of importance - Hughes and Nica". He added at the top of the conspiracy was a Vietnamese man called "Fong", who was based in London. [19][20], Initially the police said the deceased were all Chinese nationals and the Chinese embassy in London sent officials to assist with identification. [77], On 11 January 2021, Gazmir Nuzi was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment after admitting a limited role in the smuggling ring, with the prosecution accepting that he was not part of the organised crime group. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Robinson gave a thumbs-up in reply. His father, Hoang Van Lanh, believed his son was tricked, possibly at the last moment. [13] The lorry was in Eastern Avenue at the Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, Essex. Mr Justice Sweeney told the defendants jailed for manslaughter they would serve two-thirds of the term in custody, instead of the usual half. Pic: Essex Police, Police and forensics at the crime scene in Grays, Essex, in October 2019, Lorry driver Maurice Robinson is seen leaving Purfleet port in Essex after collecting the trailer containing the migrants, Gheorghe Nica pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of the migrants. "A load of immigrants just got out of a lorry, they just got into Mercedes and all that," Ms Andrews told the 999 operator. [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". He was returned to the UK where he was charged with 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. While Hughes admitted manslaughter, both Nica and Harrison were convicted by a jury. 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. People-smuggling gang members jailed over Essex lorry deaths Two ringleaders receive sentences of 27 and 20 years after 39 Vietnamese people suffocated in container (From left) Gheorghe Nica. [89], In October 2021, the BBC broadcast the hour-long documentary Hunting the Essex Lorry Killers. REUTERS/Simon . "We thought maybe someone had broken into a lorry, but it's just awful. [4] Following the incident, the Chief Executive of the charity group Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said that the British government needs to open safe routes and make quick decisions regarding asylum seekers to prevent such attempts, sentiments echoed by the Refugee and Migrant Rights Director of Amnesty International UK. The judge said Nica "recruited and paid the drivers whose job it was to collect the migrants when they reached the drop-off site in this country and to drive them to the safe house(s) where they were to be held until payment". "All we know is they found the bodies in the back of a lorry. All of the others convicted were Vietnamese or Belgians of Vietnamese origin and were accused of buying supplies for the migrants, transporting them in taxis or acting as look-outs at safe houses. [80], Two lorry drivers who were also involved in the incident were also jailed. 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. [4], The investigation is being led by Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Stoten, a Senior Investigating Officer within the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate. [55] He faced 39 charges of manslaughter as well as immigration offences. Alexandru Hanga, 28, who performed a similar role on one occasion in October 2019, and who last year pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful migration, was sentenced to three years in prison. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. They had been working legally as fruit pickers in Hungary when they phoned their families in Vietnam to tell them there had been a change in plan and they would soon be travelling to the UK. "We have arrested the lorry driver in connection with the incident who remains in police custody as our enquiries continue. Instead essex lorry deaths crime scene photos the country unlawfully extradition was approved to fund their passage, on Hyperthermia, or overheating forensic tents were erected and camera crews were set up to document investigation. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. It is seen beside a white police tent in the aerial shots. A father of one of the deceased said he was given two options: having the ashes returned for 41,100,000 Vietnam dong (1,470) or receiving the body for 66,240,000 Vietnam dong (2,209). The trailer had been shipped from the port of Zeebrugge, Belgium, to Purfleet, Essex, UK, and the lorry cab and its driver are believed to have originated from Northern Ireland. Crammed into the back of Robinson's lorry were two cousins who were more than 6,000 miles (9,656km) from home. While the county came to terms with the tragedy on our doorstep, Essex Police launched the largest investigation in its history to bring down members of the international smuggling operation responsible for their deaths. Emailwebnews@trinitymirror.com. On all three runs, Nica, of Basildon, Essex, had arranged cars and a van to transport the migrants at the UK end. Pham Thi Tra My, a 26-year-old woman from Ha Tinh, Nguyen Dinh Luong, a 20-year-old man from Ha Tinh, Nguyen Huy Phong, a 35-year-old man from Ha Tinh, Vo Nhan Du, a 19-year-old man from Ha Tinh, Tran Manh Hung, a 37-year-old man from Ha Tinh, Tran Khanh Tho, a 18-year-old man from Ha Tinh, Vo Van Linh, a 25-year-old man from Ha Tinh, Nguyen Van Nhan, a 33-year-old man from Ha Tinh, Bui Phan Thang, a 37-year-old man from Ha Tinh, Nguyen Huy Hung, a 15-year-old boy from Ha Tinh, Tran Thi Tho, a 21-year-old woman from Nghe An, Bui Thi Nhung, a 19-year-old woman from Nghe An, Vo Ngoc Nam, a 28-year-old man from Nghe An, Nguyen Dinh Tu, a 26-year-old man from Nghe An, Le Van Ha, a 30-year-old man from Nghe An, Tran Thi Ngoc, a 19-year-old woman from Nghe An, Nguyen Van Hung, a 33-year-old man from Nghe An, Hoang Van Tiep, a 18-year-old man from Nghe An, Cao Tien Dung, a 37-year-old man from Nghe An, Cao Huy Thanh, a 37-year-old man from Nghe An, Tran Thi Mai Nhung, a 18-year-old woman from Nghe An, Nguyen Minh Quang, a 20-year-old man from Nghe An, Le Ngoc Thanh, a 44-year-old man from Dien Chau, Pham Thi Ngoc Oanh, a 28-year-old woman from Nghe An, Hoang Van Hoi, a 24-year-old man from Nghe An, Nguyen Tho Tuan, a 25-year-old man from Nghe An, Dang Huu Tuyen, a 22-year-old man from Nghe An, Nguyen Trong Thai, a 26-year-old man from Nghe An, Nguyen Van Hiep, a 24-year-old man from Nghe An, Nguyen Thi Van, a 35-year-old woman from Nghe An, Tran Hai Loc, a 35-year-old man from Nghe An, Duong Minh Tuan, a 27-year-old man from Quang Binh, Nguyen Ngoc Ha, a 32-year-old man from Quang Binh, Nguyen Tien Dung, a 33-year-old man from Quang, Binh, Phan Thi Thanh, a 41-year-old woman from Hai Phong, Nguyen Ba Vu Hung, a 34-year-old man from Thua Thien-Hue, Dinh Dinh Thai Quyen, a 18-year-old man from Hai Phong, Tran Ngoc Hieu, a 17-year-old boy from Hai Duong, Dinh Dinh Binh, a 15-year-old boy from Hai Phong. Sin embargo, puede visitar "Configuracin de cookies" para proporcionar un consentimiento controlado. [5] In the evening of 23 October, the Belgian prosecutor's office announced that they would also investigate the lorry's transit through their country. He had seen a friend's Facebook post showing that they had made it to London. Something went wrong, please try again later. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The eight women and 31 men found on Wednesday in a refrigerated container in Essex, southeast England, were originally identified as Chinese. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". [35][39] He appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on 28 October, when the Crown Prosecution Service alleged that he was part of a "global ring" of people smugglers. I have a problem here - dead bodies in the trailer when it arrived on shores! Footage of lorry container in Essex where 39 bodies have been found to! [69] Judge Burns remanded the accused until 12 June 2020, when Ireland's High Court ordered his extradition to the UK. Numbers of Vietnamese people reported as potential human trafficking victims in the past three years. Most of the migrants are believed to have boarded the lorry container in northern France before it was driven to Zeebrugge and loaded on to a cargo ship bound for Purfleet on 22 October 2019. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. [92][93] The question was then further criticised by Chinese media after the victims were found not to be Chinese. [75] On 8 April 2021, his extradition was approved. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk, Lorry container 'became a tomb' for 39 victims, Essex lorry deaths driver admits manslaughter. Along with lorry driver Eamonn Harrison, 23, he has been found guilty of manslaughter. Second man charged with multiple counts of manslaughter over Essex truck deaths, victims all Vietnamese Police release images of two brothers hunted over Essex truck deaths Truck containing up to 70 decomposing bodies found in Austria More on: Crime Homicide Law, Crime and Justice United Kingdom Top Stories live [4][14], The ambulance service said that all 39 people were dead before it arrived, and attempts at resuscitation could not be made. Every person in that trailer had left behind a family. In addition, Valentin Calota from Birmingham and Christopher Kennedy, from County Armagh, were found guilty of immigration offences. Published by on January 24, 2023 on January 24, 2023 Sentencing, Mr Justice Sweeney said: "I have no doubt that the conspiracy was a sophisticated, long-running and profitable one to smuggle mainly Vietnamese people across the channel.". Among those killed was a married couple - Tran Hai Loc and Nguyen Thi Van. DeSantis won't say he's running. The migrants died "excruciatingly painful" deaths, having suffocated in the container en route from Belgium to Purfleet in October 2019, a judge said. [68], A second man, from County Armagh, also appeared at the Central Criminal Court on 13 December and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit human trafficking offences between 1 May 2018 and 24 October 2019, by arranging or facilitating the travel of other people with a view to exploitation. The friend put him in touch with a Vietnamese mystery man called Phong. The message said: "Give them air quickly don't let them out". Parents of one of the youngest victims, Nguyen Huy Hung, who was 15 when he died, paid tribute to their peaceful and smart son. Three others members of the people-smuggling gang were also sentenced for conspiracy to facilitate unlawful immigration. 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