LONDON (AP) Police in southeastern England said 39 people were found dead Wednesday inside a truck container believed to have come from Bulgaria.
The truck, which is said to have entered Britain via the Welsh port of Holyhead on Saturday, was found by ambulance workers at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, a town just by the River Thames around 40 km east of central London.
"This is a tragic incident where a large number of people have lost their lives. Our enquiries are ongoing to establish what has happened," Essex Police Chief Superintendent Andrew Mariner said. "We are in the process of identifying the victims, however, I anticipate that this could be a lengthy process."
A 25-year-old-man from Northern Ireland has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody. He has not been charged or identified.
Police have not formally linked the deaths to people trafficking but a link is assumed because of the way the victims were crammed into the truck container.
