Chinese paper says Britain must accept responsibility for truck deaths

Britain and other European countries must accept some responsibility for the deaths of 39 people, believed to be Chinese nationals, found dead in a refrigerated truck near London, the state-backed Global Times said on Friday.

Paramedics and police found the bodies of 31 men and eight women on Wednesday on an industrial estate at Grays in Essex, about 30 km east of the British capital.

At the moment it was impossible to say how much responsibility the dead should bear for the tragedy, the widely-read Chinese newspaper said in an editorial.

China has not formally confirmed the victims are citizens.

On Friday, the Chinese embassy in London said it had sent a team to Essex that met police.

“The British police said they are verifying the identity of the deceased, and at present are unable to be certain that they are Chinese nationals,” the embassy said.

Via Reuters/Global Times