British police are working to identify the bodies of 39 people who were found dead in a truck container at an industrial estate east of London.

Key points: The bodies were found at an industrial park about 32 kilometres from central London

The bodies were found at an industrial park about 32 kilometres from central London Police said all 39 victims were pronounced dead at the scene

Police said all 39 victims were pronounced dead at the scene UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would be working closely with the local police department while the investigation takes place

The bodies were discovered in the container at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, in Essex, located by the River Thames, about 32 kilometres from central London.

Police said all 39 victims — 38 adults and one teenager — were pronounced dead at the scene after a local ambulance crew attended in the early hours of the morning, with police called to the scene at 1:40am on Wednesday (local time).

Officials had originally said the truck originated from Bulgaria and entered Britain at Holyhead in Wales on Saturday.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that while the truck was registered in Bulgaria, it left two years ago "and never returned".

"It is not possible that these people were taken from Bulgaria," he said.

Later on Thursday police revealed the trailer unit had travelled separately on a ship from the Belgian port Zeebrugge and into Purfleet, next to Grays, docking about 12:30am.

It was then picked up by the truck and left the Purfleet port about 35 minutes later.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 3 minutes 49 seconds 3 m 49 s The deadly routes and risks involved in people smuggling in Europe

The driver, a 25-year-old from Northern Ireland named locally as Mo Robinson, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody but has not been charged.

The driver was a 25-year-old from Northern Ireland named locally as Mo Robinson. ( Facebook )

Forensic police have moved the truck to a secure location at the nearby Tilbury Docks where the bodies can be removed for identification, and a cordon remains at the original scene.

"This is a tragic incident where a large number of people have lost their lives," Chief Superintendent Andrew Mariner said.

"Our enquiries are ongoing to establish what has happened. We are in the process of identifying the victims, however I anticipate that this could be a lengthy process."

"We are working with Thurrock Council to mitigate against any impact our investigation scene will have locally," Mr Mariner added.

Conditions in truck 'absolutely horrendous'

The truck's 25-year-old Northern Irish driver has been arrested. ( AP: Stefan Rousseau )

Richard Burnett, chief executive of the UK's Road Haulage Association, told PA Media the trailer appeared to be a refrigerated unit.

Temperatures could reach as low as -25 degrees Celsius, which Mr Burnett said would cause anyone inside to "lose their lives pretty quickly".

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 26 seconds 26 s British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was an "unimaginable tragedy".

He said conditions inside the trailer would have been "absolutely horrendous".

"It's going to be dark," Mr Burnett told PA.

"The only place to go to the toilet is on board the back of the trailer."

The question of how the truck entered Ireland is expected to be a key line of enquiry. ( AP: UK Pool )

Speaking at a media conference, Essex Police Deputy Chief Constable Pippa Mills described the deaths as an "absolute tragedy".

She said the identification of victims would be a priority for police, and the question of the truck and the trailer's routes would be a key line of enquiry.

"I appreciate how much attention this incident will continue to attract and the public and media appetite to understand what has happened," she said.

"We also need to understand what has happened, and Essex Police will be working with all of our partners to ensure this happens as quickly as possible."

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "appalled by this tragic incident", speaking to Parliament hours after the news broke.

"I am receiving regular updates from the Home Office and will work closely with Essex Police as we establish exactly what has happened," he said.

"My thoughts are with all those who lost their lives and their loved ones.

"It is hard to put ourselves in the shoes of those emergency services as they were asked to open that container and to expose the appalling crime that had taken place."

Jackie Doyle-Price, a member of Parliament who represents the area where the truck was found, said: "To put 39 people into a locked metal container shows a contempt for human life that is evil.

"The best thing we can do in memory of those victims is to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 40 seconds 40 s Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said the truck had not been in Bulgaria for two years.

Belgian prosecutors start probe

A spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor's office said an investigation had begun to see if the trailer had passed through the country.

"We have no idea at the moment how long the lorry spent in Belgium, it could be hours or days, we just don't know," spokesman Eric Van Duyse told the BBC.

"We have got a good relationship with the justice and police office of Great Britain … but we have not a lot of information at this moment."

Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Irish authorities would carry out any investigations necessary if it was established that the truck had passed through Ireland.

The truck was believed to have come from Bulgaria and entered Britain on Saturday. ( AP )

Zeebrugge's harbourmaster also told the BBC that migrants trying to stowaway had been found "every day" at the port for the past few months.

Local Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price blamed people smugglers for the deaths.

"People trafficking is a vile and dangerous business … let's hope they bring these murderers to justice," she tweeted.

Police later found a separate truck in Kent carrying nine migrants, all alive, a spokesman told Sky News.

In June 2000, the bodies of 58 Chinese immigrants were found in the back of a truck in the sea port of Dover. The Dutch driver was jailed the following year for their manslaughter.



ABC/wires