Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson now states that the 39 people found dead in the truck have fallen victim to human smugglers.

- We know that this business is ongoing. Everyone involved in human trafficking should be hunted and brought to justice, Johnson reports to Reuters.

It was at 01.40am local time during the night until Wednesday that police were alerted to an industrial area in Grays, east of London. According to the police, all persons who were in the cargo compartment - 38 adults and one teenager - were pronounced dead.