Private ambulances under police escort are transporting some of the 39 bodies found in a lorry container in Essex to a hospital for post-mortems.

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At least 11 of the victims discovered at an industrial estate this week, who police have said are believed to be Chinese, have been taken from the Port of Tilbury to Broomsfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

The bodies are being transported in stages and are all expected to be moved by the end of the week.

Image: A vigil took place outside the Home Office for the victims

The post-mortems come after the 31 men and eight women were found at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays in the early hours of Wednesday.


Later that day, they were moved to a more sensitive site at nearby Tilbury Docks as police try to identify them.

Vigils have been held outside the Home Office in London, as well as in Brighton and Belfast, to pay tribute to the victims, and officers and local councillors in Essex have signed a book of condolence.

Flowers have also been left at the entrance to the industrial estate where the discovery was made, which has led to the largest murder investigation ever carried out by Essex Police.

China has called on Britain to seek "severe punishment" for those involved in the deaths, which echoed a 2000 incident when 58 Chinese people were found dead in a container at Dover.

State newspaper Global Times has said Britain should bear some responsibility, saying: "It is clear that Britain and relevant European countries have not fulfilled their responsibility to protect these people from such a death."

Lorry captured on CCTV in Essex

The Chinese embassy has sent a team to Essex, but the foreign affairs ministry said there was "no confirmation" the victims were Chinese and that police were "still working on identifying".

Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: "We hope the British side can as soon as possible confirm and verify the identities of the victims, ascertain what happened and severely punish criminals involved in the case."

The driver was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder after police were called at 1.40am and officers were granted an extra 24 hours of custody time to continue questioning him on Thursday.

Sky sources have named the suspect as Mo Robinson, from Portadown.

The lorry cab he was driving had started its journey in Northern Ireland before meeting the trailer in Purfleet.

Irish firm Global Trailer Rental said it owned the container and rented it out on 15 October, according to reports.

The container is said to have been fitted with a GPS tracking system, which police should be able to use to work out its precise movements leading up to the discovery.

Police in Northern Ireland have been searching three addresses in County Armagh following the arrest of the driver on suspicion of murder, which is said to have left his family "stunned".

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They only found out about the arrest when a picture of Mr Robinson, 25, appeared in the media.

Their local councillor, Paul Berry, told Sky News: "His family are very well respected in the area and are very actively involved in community organisations.

"Our heart goes out to them because as of yesterday morning they were not aware that he had been arrested."

He added: "The community's thoughts and prayers are with the family of the 39 people who have lost their lives. People are devastated but also stunned and shocked that someone local has been arrested."

Image: Mo Robinson has been arrested on suspicion of murder

Belgian authorities believe the container was transported to the UK from Zeebrugge at 2.49pm local time on Tuesday.

Lorry driver Graham Westmorland told Sky News that scanners at the port were not up to the job and people were able to get through without being picked up.

Such criticism has been disputed by Mayor Dirk De Fauw, also the chairman of the port of Zeebrugge, who insisted that it was "virtually impossible" the victims went into the trailer at the Belgian border.

He told Belgian media: "Each trailer is systematically checked to look for outward signs of damage. Then it is sealed. Trailers are filmed until they are on the ferry.

"In the terminals too there are cameras. Breaking the seal, putting 39 people in a trailer and resealing the trailer without anybody noticing is virtually impossible."

Image: Police escorted the lorry away from the scene of the discovery

The Belgian public prosecutor's office said it is "not yet clear" when and where the victims were placed in the container, adding that no further information would be released at this time.

Its statement said it would continue to work with police in the UK to find out what happened.

Image: Forensic officers investigate the lorry

After the arrival of the trailer in Purfleet at around midnight on Wednesday morning, it was picked up by Mr Robinson.

Essex Police say the lorry cab had began its journey in Northern Ireland, from where it headed to Dublin and then caught a ferry to Holyhead in north Wales.

CCTV has shown the lorry cab with container attached being driven towards the industrial park at 1.10am, half an hour before Essex Police were called to the scene by ambulance crews.

The Bulgarian ministry of foreign affairs said the Scania truck was registered in Varna and prime minister Boyko Borissov said the vehicle had not entered the country since 2017.

Road haulage experts said temperatures in refrigerated units can be as low as -25C.

Officers say people who are concerned about a loved one should call 0800 056 0944, or 0044 207 158 0010 if calling from abroad.

Sky News is broadcasting a Brexit-free channel, weekdays 5pm to 10pm on Sky 523.