Assistant Chief Constable Tim Smith, the officer in charge of the investigation, has released a statement this evening urging anyone with information to come forward and help provide answers for the 39 grieving families.
He said Essex Police are in contact with the Vietnamese Government and believe they have identified families for some of the vict ims.
Last week the bodies of 39 migrants were found in a refrigeration container on an industrial estate in Grays, Essex.
The full statement from Constable Smith released tonight reads: “Essex Police is continuing to work closely with HM Senior Coroner and the National Crime Agency to progress the investigation and help identify the victims.
“At this time, we believe the victims are Vietnamese nationals, and we are in contact with the Vietnamese Government.
Earlier, police appealed directly for two on-the-run brothers, wanted as part of the investigation, to hand themselves in.
Detectives urged Ronan and Christopher Hughes to come forward and hand themselves in to police in Northern Ireland.
Ronan Hughes, 40 and his brother Christopher Hughes, 34 from Armagh, Northern Ireland, are wanted on suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking in connection with the deaths of 39 people, whose bodies were found in a container in Grays last week.
Speaking in a press conference at Police Service of Northern Ireland Headquarters today in Belfast, Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Stoten said: “Today I want to make a direct appeal. police.
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