Family of Vietnamese woman concerned she may be victim in Grays lorry

The family of Pham Thi Tra My believe she may be one of the victims

Vietnamese officials are looking into claims that one of the people found dead in a lorry in Thurrock could be a 26-year-old from the country.

Essex Police has said the bodies of 39 people discovered in were all believed to be Chinese nationals.

But Hoa Nghiem, who works for a human rights organisation in Vietnam, has posted several tweets claiming one of the victims might be Pham Thi Tra My.

She has also shared a picture of messages apparently sent by Pham to her family while she was in the container, which say “I’m sorry mum. My path to abroad doesn’t succeed. Mum, I love you so much! I’m dying because I can’t breathe.”

This is the screenshot of Tra My’s last text and her photo, posted with permission from her family’s contact. pic.twitter.com/8ErWHBPrbJ

— Hoa Nghiem (@HoaNghiem3) October 25, 2019

The Vietnamese Embassy in London has been in touch with police as it tries to establish if the claims are true.

Police standing guard at the crime scene entrance on Wednesday

Essex Police announced this afternoon that two further arrests had been made.

A man and woman, both aged 38 and from Warrington, have been detained on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic people and on suspicion of 39 counts of manslaughter.

Eastern Avenue, where the lorry was stopped on Wednesday, has today reopened.