Gov’t to provide advance for repatriation of UK lorry victims
The Government will provide an advance to pay for the repatriation ofthe bodies of victims found dead last month in a containerlorry in Essex, the UK, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.
Police investigate the lorry in which 39 dead bodies were found in October in Essex in the south of England. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) ܫ– TheGovernment will provide an advance to pay for the repatriation ofthe bodies ofvictims found dead last month in a containerlorry in Essex, the UK, accordingto Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.
Talking with reporters onNovember 21 on the sidelines of the National Assembly’s eighth session, Sonsaid that the advance payment aims to support the victims’ families torepatriate the dead in a safe and prompt manner.
The provinces where the victimswere from are tasked to work with the families of the victims to repay themoney to the Government, said Son.
The Deputy FM added that relevantparties have discussed with the UK side about whether to bring the ashes or thebodies of the victims home, as well as flights and necessary procedures.
𓆉 If any enterprises wishing tosupport the families in the work, they should work directly with the localitiesand the families, he added.
According to an official document released the Ministry of ForeignAffairs, the fee to bring a jar of ashes to Noi Bai Airport is 1,370 GBP,equivalent to 41.1 million VND. Body repatriation in a coffin made of zinc can cost up to 2,208GBP, or 66 million VND. The ministry asked local authorities to make plans to receive thebodies or ashes and transport them to their hometowns. The number of coffins and jars and repatriation time will beannounced later. On November 7, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security said UKauthorities had confirmed all the 39 migrants found in therefrigerated container on October 23 on an industrial estate in Grays,Essex in the south of England, were from Vietnam. They had permanent residence in Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Nghe An,Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Thua Thien-Hue./.
National Assembly (NA) General Secretary Nguyen Hanh Phuc on November 5 delivered an initial report to deputies on Vietnam’s response to issues related to Vietnamese victims in the recent lorry tragedy in Essex, the UK.
Foreign Ministry’s deputy spokesperson Ngo Toan Thang said on November 7 that Vietnam and the UK have been working actively together to accelerate the identification of 39 victims found dead in a container truck in Essex, the southeast of the UK.
British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward has extended his condolences to the families and relatives of the victims who were found dead last month in a container truck in Essex, the UK.
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Police investigate the lorry in which 39 dead bodies were found in October in Essex in the south of England. (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
