Two brothers are wanted on suspicion of manslaughter after 39 people were found dead in a refrigerated trailer in Essex last week.

Ronan Hughes, 40, and Christopher Hughes, 34, both from Armagh in Northern Ireland, are also wanted on suspicion of human trafficking, Essex Police said on Tuesday.

The older brother also goes by the name Rowan, and both have links to the Republic of Ireland as well as Northern Ireland.

Police launched an investigation after the bodies of eight women and 31 men were found in the refrigerated trailer at the Waterglade Retail Park in Grays, Essex, in the early hours of Wednesday.

Image: Anna Bui Thi Nhung (left), Nguyen Dinh Tu (centre) and Tra My, all from Vietnam, are believed to be among the victims

Detective Chief Superintendent Stuart Hooper, who is leading the investigation, said: "Finding and speaking to the Hughes brothers is crucial to our investigation.


"At this time we believe they are in Northern Ireland but they also have links to the Irish Republic.

"If you know where they are or have any information about their whereabouts I need you to call my team."

Belgian officials said the trailer where the victims were found came from Zeebrugge on Tuesday and was picked up by a lorry cab in Purfleet, Essex at about 12.30am on Wednesday.

Image: A lorry cab was seized at Dublin Port on Saturday which police believe may have delivered the trailer with 39 people on board to Zeebrugge

Essex Police are now investigating whether a lorry cab seized at Dublin Port by Irish police was the lorry that delivered the refrigerated trailer to Zeebrugge port last Tuesday with the 39 people on board.

They confirmed a man was arrested by Irish police over an unconnected matter and he "is a person of interest" in their investigation into the deaths.

The force said it was liaising with Irish officers as the man is outside England and Wales' jurisdiction.

Image: Prime minister Boris Johnson signed a book of condolence during a visit to Thurrock Council Offices in Essex

On Monday lorry driver Maurice "Mo" Robinson, 25, of Craigavon, Northern Ireland, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration, and money laundering.

He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on 25 November.

Image: A court sketch of Maurice Robinson appearing via videolink at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on 28 October

Three other people have been arrested - a 38-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman from Warrington, Cheshire, and a 46-year-old Northern Irish man who was arrested at Stansted Airport on Friday.

They have all been released on bail until next month.

Detectives are now trying to identify the people who died in the trailer, in the largest identification process in Essex Police history.

The lorry was moved to Tilbury Docks after the initial discovery and the bodies have now been moved to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, for post-mortems to be carried out.

'Please come forward and let us help you'

Victims will be identified, where possible, with dental records, fingerprints and DNA, followed by other means such as tattoos and scars, supported by jewellery, clothing or property.

Police revealed each victim appeared to have a bag, clothes and other belongings and they so far have more than 500 items to look at.

They are downloading data from their mobile phones to help identify the dead, and to also assist the investigation.

Image: 39 bodies were found in this lorry trailer

Police initially said the victims were Chinese, but have now said they will not reveal their nationalities until they have been officially identified.

A number of Vietnamese families have come forward to say they fear some of their loved ones are among the dead.

Some of the victims are said to have paid thousands of pounds to traffickers to guarantee their safe passage to the UK, where they could work and send money home.

Anybody with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.