"Hostility towards migrants has got worse" - five years on from Essex lorry deaths
An Essex refugee charity is calling on government for "safe routes", as migrants continue to die in dangerous crossings
An Essex refugee charity is calling for "safe routes" for migrants - five years on from the tradgedy that saw 39 Vietnamese migrants found unresponsive in the back of a lorry in Grays, Essex.
The bodies of 31 men and 8 women were discovered in the early hours of 23 October 2019, in a lorry that was travelling from Belgium to Purfleet.
Yesterday, West Thurrock commemorated the victims in a memorial service.
1\1 people have been convicted in the UK in connection with the incident, and a further 18 in France.
Essex police has said, "no investigation like this must ever happen again" calling it to the most "far-reaching" investigation they've ever had to do.
RAMFEL is a not for profit organisation that provides immigration advice, support and advocacy to asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and refugees.
The refugee and asylum seeker manager, Erica Wilson, has told Greatest Hits Radio Essex that "things haven't moved on".
She says, "if anything, hostility towards migrants has got worse."
"That's why we're calling on the government for safe routes for migrants, similarly to what we see for Ukranian migrants: more easily obtainable visas."
"We've seen conflicts since Ukraine, like in Sudan, and the same approach has not been taken.
"And subsequently we're seeing a lot of Sudanese people crossing by channel. There's no coincidence people from the Ukraine don't make those crossings, it's because they've got other options."
"No family would choose to put their children on a boat if they don't have to", says Ms Wilson.
"If we don't see any change from the government, an incident like that of five years ago in Grays, is going to happen again."
3\9 trees have been planted in West Thurrock mortuary to commemorate each of the Vietnamese victims.
Father Simon Nguyen who led the memorial service has said,
"Those victims had children, who are left in Vietnam.
"I am doing all that I can to raise money to give them an education."
"All their parents wanted was to come to the UK to make more money to send home to give them that education."