The 39 people found dead in the back of a truck near London are believed to be Chinese nationals, police said Thursday, as they questioned the driver detained on suspicion of murder.
Paramedics and police found the 31 men and eight women's bodies Wednesday in a truck container on an industrial estate at Grays, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of the British capital.
For years, illegal immigrants have attempted to reach Britain stowed away in trucks, often from the European mainland. In the biggest tragedy, 58 Chinese were found dead in a tomato truck in 2000 at the port of Dover.