Duncan wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 6:57 am
Has it been reported that the refrigeration unit was on.

Mishmash wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:07 am

Duncan wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 6:57 am
Has it been reported that the refrigeration unit was on.

It has been reported in various outlets - but no official statements..

Sources close to Irish police said the lorry’s refrigeration unit - which could have plunged temperatures as low as -25C - was turned on, leaving those inside with "no chance of survival".
Even if the trailer was not chilled the victims may have suffered agonising deaths as oxygen slowly ran out.
The Mayor of Zeebrugge, Dirk De Fauw, insist the migrants were dead before they arrived at Zeebrugge, or they would have been detected by heat cameras.
He added: "If you end up in such a box with 39 people, you're going to die."

If you check the verified text message time from the young Vietnamese lady it was at 22:30 BST so the Mayor of Zebbrugge's statement cannot be true, as it is an 8 hour sea journey from there to the UK, and the ship made dock around midnight.

The other text she sent was at 06:20 BST saying she was getting into the container.

Other sources:

"The bodies closest to the doors had foam coming from their mouths and were in the early stages of rigor mortis.

"There were bloody handprints all along the inside of the lorry door where they must have been banging for help.

"[The dead people] were wearing little clothing, and in some cases were naked."

At this stage, media can be sensationalist.

I checked the shipping registers and the vessel is likely the Belgian Flagged MV Clementine (arrival 23-10-19 00:10BST)



Port, Arrival Time, Departure Time, Time in Port

Soriya wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:50 pm

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:38 am

angkorjohn2 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 23, 2019 4:24 pm Heartbreaking, although I'm sure there will be some sick xenophobes, as in the states at the border, who will celebrate the deaths of these immigrants whose only crime was trying to find a better life. 38 adults and 1 teenager it says with an Northern Irishman arrested for murder. RIP to all

The driver called the cops and ambulance himself.

Seems he's an innocent party also - he was released yesterday despite the tabloid reports.

As of 30 minutes ago the driver was still under arrest and the police obtained extra time to question him

Mishmash wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 12:42 am Update : The Lorry driver has been charged with manslaughter.

A lorry driver has been charged with the manslaughter of 39 people found dead inside a refrigerated trailer.

Maurice Robinson, 25, was arrested after the bodies of 31 men and eight women were found in Grays on Wednesday.

He is further charged with people trafficking, immigration and money laundering offences, Essex Police said.

Mr Robinson, of Laurel Drive, Craigavon, Northern Ireland, is due before Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Also it appears that most if not all of the victims are from Vietnam.

20 families have come forward so far.

More to come

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 7:10 am I don't understand how anyone in Vietnam with 30k could think about trafficking themselves to the UK. I feel bad for the victims, and I get it if you're dirt poor looking for a new start, but of you've got 30k in Vietnam, seems like you'd have many options for a good life there.

Doc67 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 10:00 am

He must of had a big pile of cash in the lorry, probably concealed, for that charge to be layed. Once the police have that, they know he is up to his neck in it and the other charges can follow.

I have imported goods from Italy into the UK in the past and when they came over on a lorry the driver will have a manifest and a sales invoice for the consignee. There may be multiple drop offs. They then go straight to the consignee(s), off load and get on their way. Time is money in the haulage business.

They do not go to some random industrial park and open the truck on spec unless they are at a destination point and, in such a case, they would have verifiable paperwork from the consignor to support that stop and a bona fide consignee awaiting to receive the goods. If you've got 39 bodies on board you aren't going to have any of those things.

That leasing company in Ireland who registers the trucks in Bulgaria are up to their necks in this too, but that might be a bit harder to prove, but their cards are well and truly marked now...