39 dead bodies found in truck were Chinese: British media

The 39 people found dead in a truck in Britain were Chinese nationals, several British media outlets reported on Thursday (October 24), citing sources.

On Wednesday (October 23), 39 people were found dead in a truck container, which came from Bulgaria, and police have arrested the driver of the vehicle for questioning. Officials also said the truck came from Bulgaria and entered the UK via Holyhead port in Wales.

Essex Police Chief Superintendent Andrew Mariner said officers were trying to identify victims as their enquiries remain ongoing after the arrest of the 25-year-old driver from Northern Ireland.

He said, “This is a tragic incident where a large number of people have lost their lives. 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 have arrested the lorry driver in connection with the incident who remains in police custody as our enquiries continue,” he said. A police cordon remains in place at the industrial estate where the discovery was made.