Two people in Vietnam have been arrested after 39 migrants were found dead in a shipping container in Essex. Regional police in the province of Ha Tinh launched a criminal investigation into suspected human trafficking after 10 Vietnamese families said they feared their relatives are among the dead. Their investigation will also look at similar incidents that have occurred over the last five years.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered the investigation into the deaths on October 26, three days after the bodies were found inside a refrigerated lorry in Essex. At first Essex Police had believed the victims to be Chinese nationals, but it was later revealed as many as 25 of them could be from Vietnam. However, officers said the migrants had few documents on them, meaning identification could take some time.
Dad Van Thin later said that he and his wife had begged Tra My not to go. Today British police issued an urgent appeal to two fugitives wanted in relation to the case , asking them to turn themselves. Brothers Ronan, 40, and Christopher Hughes, 34, both from Armagh, Northern Ireland, are wanted on suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking.
The driver of the lorry, Maurice Robinson has been charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, money laundering, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and conspiracy to traffic people. While three other people arrested in connection with the incident — a couple, both 38, and a year-old man — have all been released on bail until November. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews metro.
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