Harsh though it may seem to say so, official attempts to stop people smuggling may have unwittingly contributed to the haunting tragedy that was uncovered in the back of a refrigeration lorry in Essex, where 39 people had died apparently from lack of oxygen.

Harsh though it may seem to say so, official attempts to stop people smuggling may have unwittingly contributed to the haunting tragedy that was uncovered in the back of a refrigeration lorry in Essex, where 39 people had died apparently from lack of oxygen.

Refrigeration lorries have become the vehicle of choice for people smugglers, because their metal construction impedes X-rays and heat detectors, and the way they are sealed prevents the tell-tale release of carbon dioxide. It is by such means that the traffickers have learnt to outwit the anti-smuggling technology that is increasingly deployed at ports of entry. But it is also manifestly a death trap.

Since the discovery, more details have emerged. There seems little doubt that organised criminal gangs arranged the long and complex journey of the victims. Many, possibly all of them, came from a particular area of Vietnam, and, perhaps surprisingly, many were Catholics. Their parish priest has been interviewed on television, and Mass has been said for the repose of their souls and the comfort of their devastated friends and families.

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