The county marks the two-year anniversary of one of the worst tragedies it's ever seen, Get the latest on all the biggest court and crime news in Essex direct from our expert court reporter. [41], On 26 October, the Irish police said they had detained a man in his 20s at Dublin Port who was of interest to Essex Police as part of its investigation into the lorry deaths. ", Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. After several months in Poland, he made the journey to France with his heart set on making it across the channel to the UK. Eamonn Harrison, 24, who towed the trailer to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge before their journey to the UK, was sentenced to 18 years. 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. During the lengthy court cases at the Old Bailey in London, shocking details from the tragedy were uncovered. "It was a bit of a shock but we're not 100 per cent sure of what's happened.". As they began to die inside the dark container, where the temperature had risen to 38.5C, they recorded farewell messages for their relatives. Two years on from the tragedy, we look back to mourn the lives lost and the investigation which brought those responsible to justice. Nica claimed he told Robinson not to move the trailer and to call 999. His loss is so sudden for us. One of the biggest murder probes in British history is launched after the horrific discovery at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays. At the Old Bailey, two lorry drivers were also jailed for manslaughter. 48 year old Romanian national Marius Mihai Draghici is believed to be part of the conspiracy to smuggle the migrants into the UK. 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. Many of their families borrowed heavily to fund their passage, relying on their potential future earnings once they got into the UK. 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. Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Stoten, who led the investigation, described how one single fingerprint found in another one of Hughes' lorries was "gold dust", leading to another man who made the same journey a week before. RM 2B4WWCW - Southend, Essex, UK. 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. "There were desperate attempts to contact the outside world by phone and to break through the roof of the container," the judge said. [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. Shortly after 01:00, having picked up the trailer, Robinson got a SnapChat message from Ronan Hughes, his 40-year-old haulage boss from County Monaghan, Ireland. They were found on the floor of the trailer holding hands. "On that boat in the night, there was no-one to hear them and no-one to help them. "Maybe going to die in the container, can't breathe any more dear," read a text message typed by Pham Thi Ngoc Oanh. [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. It was accepted he was not a member of the organised crime group behind the smuggling operation. The trial focused on four people-smuggling runs by the gang in the space of just a fortnight in October 2019 which, if they had all been successful, would have brought more than 80 Vietnamese migrants into the UK and netted the organisers 800,000. [1], Soon after the police arrived, Eastern Avenue was closed and not fully re-opened until 25 October. Early indications suggest the victims are 38 adults and one teenager. Thwarted in France, he said, the smugglers were possibly attempting to "do two loads in one". [1][4], The lorry cab and the trailer arrived separately in Purfleet, Essex, from where they travelled together the short distance to Grays. CCTV footage then placed the primary suspects together at the same hotel. The journey of 23 October and the earlier failed run on 14 October were connected, said Bill Emlyn Jones, who prosecuted the case. 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. Who are the victims in the Essex lorry tragedy? He was paid 25,000 in cash to pick up the container and had been instructed by Hughes to open the lorry trailer to give the migrants air shortly after collecting it from Purfleet docks, but he found they were all dead. Some wanted to work in nail salons while one of the 15-year-olds who died said he would find work in an illegal cannabis farm. Have a good life.". They had each paid about 13,000 to be smuggled into the UK and had desperately tried to raise the alarm as they suffocated inside the pitch-black refrigerated unit, which had been switched off. Among those killed was a married couple - Tran Hai Loc and Nguyen Thi Van. [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. [103], Deaths of 39 Vietnamese in a lorry in 2019 in the UK, The location where the bodies were discovered in Grays, Essex, List of migrant vehicle incidents in Europe, "39 Bodies Found in Truck in U.K.; Police Seek to Retrace Fatal Journey", "Truck found in UK with 39 bodies has Bulgarian registration", "Irish company confirms it leased refrigerated trailer at centre of Essex tragedy", "Live: Murder investigation after 39 people found dead in lorry container", "Essex lorry deaths: 39 bodies found in refrigerated trailer", "Bodies of 39 people found in back of lorry on Essex industrial estate", "Driver arrested after 39 bodies found in lorry container in Essex", "Essex lorry deaths live updates as two houses raided", "Essex lorry deaths: tracking data reveals route in days before tragedy", "Truck container crossed English Channel on the Clementine ferry, CNN ascertains", "Essex lorry deaths: all 39 victims were Chinese nationals", "Post-mortems to begin on 39 found dead in lorry", "Essex lorry deaths: Vietnamese families fear relatives among dead", "Police release names of 39 people found dead in Essex lorry", "Trafficked Vietnamese and the lure of UK nail bars and cannabis farms", "Vietnamese lorry death teen escaped asylum centre", "UK police charge another man over deaths of 39 Vietnamese in truck", "Essex lorry deaths: 39 migrants found dead 'were all Vietnamese, police say |", "Father of Vietnamese woman believed dead in Essex truck: Smugglers said this was a 'safe route', "Migrants buy 'VIP tickets' to Britain to work on cannabis farms and nail bars, human trafficking expert claims", Vietnam collects DNA samples to help in Essex lorry deaths case, "Lorry deaths: Eight people arrested in Vietnam", "Bodies found in lorry have all been identified", "Second Man Charged Over UK Truck Deaths, Victims Now Thought to Be Vietnamese", "Three men convicted over chainsaw attack in Grays", "Essex lorry deaths: 39 found dead were Chinese nationals", "Essex lorry deaths: Police escort ambulances to remove bodies for post-mortem", "Irish people-smuggling gang suspected of being at centre of the Essex lorry container deaths has been under investigation for a year", "Crime chiefs issued warnings over migrants in refrigerated HGVs", "Lorry victims were trapped before reaching Belgian coast, officials say", "Essex lorry deaths: Two held on suspicion of manslaughter", "Essex lorry deaths: Fourth person arrested after 39 bodies found in container", "Essex lorry deaths: Driver charged with 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to traffic people", "Lorry deaths: driver was part of global ring of smugglers, court told", "Essex lorry deaths: Man in court on manslaughter charges", "Police ask Vietnamese to help identify lorry dead", "Man arrested in Dublin 'delivered lorry deaths trailer to Zeebrugge', "Police hunt for brothers from Northern Ireland over truck deaths", "Northern Irish man faces 41 charges over Essex lorry deaths", "Essex lorry deaths: 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 of people smuggling suspect wanted in connection with Essex lorry deaths", "Two men found guilty of manslaughter of 39 people in Essex lorry tragedy", "Essex lorry deaths: Two found guilty of killing 39 migrants", "Essex lorry deaths: Gazmir Nuzi sentenced over people-smuggling ring", "People-smuggling gang members jailed over Essex lorry deaths", "Essex lorry deaths: Man extradited from Italy jailed", "Essex lorry deaths: Trafficking gang ringleader jailed in Belgium", "39 bodies found in truck container in Essex: Live updates", "Andrew Marr Show, 27th October 2019, Diane Abbott MP", "UK sends extra staff to Zeebrugge after Essex lorry deaths", "One man arrested after 39 bodies found in lorry container updates", "Channel 4 postpones Smuggled broadcast after bodies found in lorry", "Channel 4's Smuggled criticised as insensitive in wake of lorry deaths", "BBC Two - Hunting the Essex Lorry Killers", "Essex lorry deaths: UK must bear responsibility, says Chinese state media", "Why would people from China, the world's second-biggest economy, risk their lives to enter the UK? Ms Andrews described ringing police again after seeing the news of the 39 deaths on social media. [62], In June 2021 Italian authorities and the National Crime Agency arrested a 27-year-old Romanian man near Milan in connection with the deaths, charging him with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence. Police later moved the bodies to a mortuary at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford for post-mortems to be carried out. [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. Our enquiries are ongoing to establish what has happened. 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. 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 manslaughter and people-smuggling, was sentenced to 13 years and four months. Signing up to the newsletter is simple. Despite initially protesting his innocence in police interviews, officers quickly discovered Robinson was actually part of an enormous lucrative people-smuggling ring - led by kingpin Ronan Hughes. However the involvement of the lorry drivers offered them no protection when too many people were packed into one container. By the end of the trial, the gang involved in the deadly people-smuggling operation were brought to justice. What led to her and 38 fellow Vietnamese nationals dying in the dark and sweltering heat of an airtight container? Many travelled to other countries in Europe, such as Poland and Russia, before being drawn by the prospect of finding better-paid work in the UK, a lure that saw them move west to France or Belgium before crossing the North Sea. 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.". VideoChess gets a risqu makeover, The Nigerian influencers paid to manipulate your vote, How a baffling census delay is hurting Indians, How Mafia boss was caught at a clinic after 30 years. ", Justice Sweeney added: "The willingness of the victims to try and enter the country illegally provides no excuse for what happened to them.". They leave behind two children in Vietnam. This was when the victims were still believed to be of Chinese origin. I am sorry. Essex Police said the people were all pronounced dead at the scene in an industrial park in Grays, east of London. [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. ", Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. A port worker who drove the trailer off the ship later reported noticing a pungent smell that was "similar to waste". "I didn't take my eyes off the lorry while I was on the [999] call.". Emailwebnews@trinitymirror.com. Exactly two years ago, Essex was dealt one of the worst tragedies it's ever seen. Christopher Kennedy, 24, another lorry driver from Northern Ireland who was involved in earlier people-smuggling runs bringing Vietnamese migrants from Northern Ireland, was sentenced to seven years. "The day he left it was 6th September. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. [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". Murder detectives try to identify 38 adults and teenager thought to have come in trailer from Belgium. [77] Sentencing hearings for all eight guilty men are expected in January 2021. Update: Essex police have confirmed that no further action will be taken against Christopher Hughes. Twelve days before 39 Vietnamese people were found dead in the container, Marie Andrews was at her mobile home in Orsett, a village about four miles (6km) from Grays. Germany: We are no longer reliant on Russian energy, City asks Madonna if it can borrow her painting, US porn star declared unfit for sex crimes trial, Jeremy Renner TV show poster edited after accident, Keep cake away from office, says food adviser, Maximum two drinks a week, Canada guidance advises. 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. 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. [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. [66] He was remanded in custody until 13 December when he appeared in court, via a video link from Belmarsh Prison in London where he was being held until his trial. The message said: "Give them air quickly don't let them out". He was later arrested in Germany. It's awful. One man spoke with ragged breaths to his family, saying: I cant breathe. 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