UK authorities were called to the scene in southeast England shortly before 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday morning, where they found the bodies of 39 individuals inside a truck.
Part of the line of inquiry for UK authorities is working out where the truck came from and how it ended up in an industrial park east of London.
Local police have said that they believe the truck originated from Bulgaria and that it entered Britain through the Welsh port of Holyhead over the weekend. A regular ferry service connects Holyhead with the Irish capital of Dublin.
"If the lorry came from Bulgaria, getting into Britain via Holyhead is an unorthodox route,” Seamus Leheny, Northern Ireland policy manager for the Freight Transport Association (FTA) told PA news agency.
"People have been saying that security and checks have been increased a places like Dover and Calais, so it might be seen as an easier way to get in by going from Cherbourg or Roscoff, over to Rosslare, then up the road to Dublin.
"It's a long way around and it'll add an extra day to the journey,” Leheny added.
UK authorities were called to the scene in southeast England shortly before 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday morning, where they found the bodies of 39 individuals inside a truck.
Part of the line of inquiry for UK authorities is working out where the truck came from and how it ended up in an industrial park east of London.
Local police have said that they believe the truck originated from Bulgaria and that it entered Britain through the Welsh port of Holyhead over the weekend. A regular ferry service connects Holyhead with the Irish capital of Dublin.
"If the lorry came from Bulgaria, getting into Britain via Holyhead is an unorthodox route,” Seamus Leheny, Northern Ireland policy manager for the Freight Transport Association (FTA) told PA news agency.
"People have been saying that security and checks have been increased a places like Dover and Calais, so it might be seen as an easier way to get in by going from Cherbourg or Roscoff, over to Rosslare, then up the road to Dublin.
"It's a long way around and it'll add an extra day to the journey,” Leheny added.
UK authorities were called to the scene in southeast England shortly before 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday morning, where they found the bodies of 39 individuals inside a truck.
Part of the line of inquiry for UK authorities is working out where the truck came from and how it ended up in an industrial park east of London.
Local police have said that they believe the truck originated from Bulgaria and that it entered Britain through the Welsh port of Holyhead over the weekend. A regular ferry service connects Holyhead with the Irish capital of Dublin.
"If the lorry came from Bulgaria, getting into Britain via Holyhead is an unorthodox route,” Seamus Leheny, Northern Ireland policy manager for the Freight Transport Association (FTA) told PA news agency.
"People have been saying that security and checks have been increased a places like Dover and Calais, so it might be seen as an easier way to get in by going from Cherbourg or Roscoff, over to Rosslare, then up the road to Dublin.
"It's a long way around and it'll add an extra day to the journey,” Leheny added.
Deputy Chief Constable Pippa Mills said identifying the victims "remains our number one priority".
She appealed for anyone with information about the route the lorry may have taken, or anyone who had seen the vehicle or knew about its journey, to get in touch.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "appalled by this tragic incident".
He said: "I am receiving regular updates and the Home Office will work closely with Essex Police as we establish exactly what has happened. My thoughts are with all those who lost their lives and their loved ones."
Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was "shocked and saddened by this utterly tragic incident", while Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price said it was "sickening news".
"People trafficking is a vile and dangerous business," Ms Doyle-Price tweeted, adding that she hoped Essex Police could "bring these murderers to justice".
Seamus Leheny, Northern Ireland policy manager for the Freight Transport Association, said if the lorry had come from Bulgaria, getting into Britain via Holyhead was an "unorthodox route".
He said: "People have been saying that security and checks have been increased at places like Dover and Calais, so it might be seen as an easier way to get in by going from Cherbourg or Roscoff, over to Rosslare, then up the road to Dublin.
"It's a long way around and it'll add an extra day to the journey."
The National Crime Agency said it had sent officers to assist the investigation. Ch Supt Andrew Mariner, from Essex Police, said he expected identifying the victims would be a "lengthy process".
Glen Freeland, from GSF Car Parts, which is close to where the bodies were found, said staff could not access their premises on Eastern Avenue.
"The manager went to get into work this morning and it was cordoned off and we've been moved to a different area," Mr Freeland said.
In June 2000, 58 Chinese immigrants were found suffocated to death in the back of a lorry in Dover. There were two survivors.
A Dutch lorry driver was jailed the following year for manslaughter.
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UK authorities were called to the scene in southeast England shortly before 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday morning, where they found the bodies of 39 individuals inside a truck.
Part of the line of inquiry for UK authorities is working out where the truck came from and how it ended up in an industrial park east of London.
Local police have said that they believe the truck originated from Bulgaria and that it entered Britain through the Welsh port of Holyhead over the weekend. A regular ferry service connects Holyhead with the Irish capital of Dublin.
"If the lorry came from Bulgaria, getting into Britain via Holyhead is an unorthodox route,” Seamus Leheny, Northern Ireland policy manager for the Freight Transport Association (FTA) told PA news agency.
"People have been saying that security and checks have been increased a places like Dover and Calais, so it might be seen as an easier way to get in by going from Cherbourg or Roscoff, over to Rosslare, then up the road to Dublin.
"It's a long way around and it'll add an extra day to the journey,” Leheny added.
LONDON — Police in southeastern England said that 39 people were found dead Wednesday inside a truck container believed to have come from Bulgaria.
The truck, which is said to have entered the country on Saturday, was found by ambulance workers at Waterglade Industrial Park, Grays.
“This is a tragic incident where a large number of people have lost their lives. Our enquiries are ongoing to establish what has happened,” 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 cordon has been put in place and access to and from the Waterglade Industrial Park remains closed.
“We are working with Thurrock Council to mitigate against any impact our investigation scene will have locally.” Mariner said.
When did this happen?
Emergency services rushed to Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, at roughly 1:40 a.m. local time.
Have the bodies been identified?
All 39 people found were pronounced dead at the scene. Early indications suggest 38 are adults and one is a teenager.
"We are in the process of identifying the victims, however I anticipate that this could be a lengthy process," Mariner said.
Is there a suspect?
A 25-year-old-man from Northern Ireland who is the truck's driver has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody.
Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted: “Shocked & saddened by this utterly tragic incident in Grays. Essex Police has arrested an individual and we must give them the space to conduct their investigations.”
Boris Johnson will urge MPs to back his Brexit deal in a final bid to get the UK to leave the EU in nine days' time.
MPs will vote on the PM's Withdrawal Agreement Bill and if they back it they will be asked to approve a three-day timetable to consider the legislation.
But the decision to curtail the scrutiny of the bill to three days has sparked anger from opposition MPs.
The BBC's Norman Smith said the PM looks set for a "deeply damaging" defeat over the timetable.
However, the prime minister seems on course to win an important symbolic victory with MPs poised to back his Brexit bill in principle, our assistant political editor added.
MPs will begin a number of votes on Mr Johnson's Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which was published on Monday, at about 19:00 BST.
Elsewhere, European Council President Donald Tusk has told the European Parliament in Strasbourg he is consulting the 27 EU leaders on how to react to the UK's request for a Brexit delay and "will decide in the coming days".
"I have no doubt that we should treat the British request for extension in all seriousness," he tweeted.
MPs believed by ministers to be ready to back the prime minister include pro-Leave Labour rebels and former Tory MPs now sitting as independents who would rather leave with Mr Johnson's deal than no deal at all.
If MPs back the bill, they will then vote on the government's "programme motion", which sets out the timetable for the legislation's passage through the Commons.
On Monday, Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "People who do not vote for the programme motion will not be voting for Brexit on October 31."
Here it is. And here we go. The government has now published the pages and pages of new laws that need to be passed to make our departure from the EU happen.
Forget the meaningful vote, to get Brexit done - as the prime minister never tires of saying - this whole bundle of legislation has to pass.
The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill is a document of 110 pages that details exactly how Parliament is expected to put the deal that the prime minister agreed with his counterparts around the continent into UK law.
If the programme motion is approved, the bill will then move to the committee stage - which will continue on into Wednesday - when MPs will have the opportunity to put down amendments.
These are expected to include attempts to keep the UK more closely aligned with the EU through a customs union and to stage a second referendum.
Both are bitterly opposed by the government, raising the possibility that it could pull the bill altogether if either gets through.
Ahead of the debate, Mr Johnson said: "The public doesn't want any more delays, neither do other European leaders and neither do I.
"Let's get Brexit done on 31 October and move on."
However, Labour's shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, accused ministers of trying to "bounce" MPs into approving a bill that could cause "huge damage" to the country.
What is the proposed timetable for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill?
Tuesday - second reading - MPs' first chance to debate the bill and vote for its continued passage. If passed at second reading, committee stage begins the same day.
Wednesday and Thursday - committee stage - where detailed examination of the bill takes place and specific amendments - on a fresh referendum, for example - can be tabled and voted on. The bill then moves on to report stage, which offers further opportunities for amendments before it moves to third reading. This is MPs' final chance to debate the bill before voting on whether to approve it.
If approved, it then moves to the Lords to begin a similar scrutiny process.
Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said Labour was "outraged" by the government's attempt to push the bill through in a short time.
"When I did the Health and Social Care Act, which was a major piece of legislation, it took three months," the Labour MP told BBC Breakfast.
"In order for politicians to do their job properly, we do need to have time," she added.
The SNP's Pete Wishart also condemned a lack of economic impact assessments of the deal ahead of the attempt to pass the legislation.
Ex-Tory MP Rory Stewart, who lost the party whip when he voted in support of the Benn Act, said he would back Mr Johnson's bill in principle but wanted to ensure Parliament had a "normal" amount of time to debate it.
"We need to finish this in the proper way, and if we're going to deliver Brexit, we need to deliver it in a way that Brexiteers and Remainers believe was taken through Parliament fairly," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
But Mr Rees-Mogg said other acts had been brought and passed with short notice.
"A king emperor left in 24 hours, and we are removing an imperial yoke in over a week," he added.
And Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told BBC Breakfast that Parliament "can move pretty quickly" and has already had 500 hours of debate on Brexit.
"So most MPs, frankly, are very familiar with the vast majority of issues that are in this bill," he said.
What is in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill?
The 110-page document will give legal effect to the withdrawal deal negotiated by Mr Johnson.
His plan ditches the backstop - the controversial measure designed to prevent a return to physical checks on the Irish border.
Instead it essentially draws a new customs border in the Irish Sea, as goods which could travel onwards to Ireland will have to pay a duty tax.
It also will see the whole of the UK leave the EU customs union, meaning it could strike trade deals with other countries in the future.
The WAB will also turn any agreed transition period into law, fulfil requirements on the rights of EU citizens in the UK after Brexit, and allow ministers to make "divorce payments" to the EU foreseen under the current deal.
But MPs will be able to vote on amendments - changes or add-ons - to the bill.
If the government cannot get the bill through Parliament, the default legal position is for the UK to leave without a deal on 31 October, but that will change if the EU grants an extension.
MPs instead backed an amendment withholding their approval until the bill has faced the scrutiny of both the Commons and the Lords and been passed into law.
The amendment worked alongside the so-called Benn Act, which required the prime minister to ask the EU for an extension to the 31 October deadline to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
Following Saturday's developments, Mr Johnson sent an unsigned letter asking for the delay, along with a signed letter saying why he did not agree with any further delays.
There has been no official word from the EU yet on whether the bloc will grant a delay or what length it would be.
Mr Tusk said the result of his consultation with EU leaders "will very much depend on what the British parliament decides or doesn't decide".
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