Vietnamese Embassy in UK releases statement on Essex lorry deaths
The Vietnamese Embassy in the UK released a statement on late November 1 expressing deep sadness at the initial findings by the Essex police that the victims who lost their lives in the refrigerated lorry on October 23 in Essex, UK, may be Vietnamese nationals.
London (VNA)💯 - The Vietnamese Embassyin the UK released a statement on late November 1 expressing deep sadness at the initial findings by the Essex police that the victims who lost theirlives in the refrigerated lorry on October 23 in Essex, UK, may be Vietnamesenationals.
The statement said specific identities of the victims still need to be identified andconfirmed by the relevant authorities of Vietnam and UK. “We would like to conveyour heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims,” it said, adding thatthe Embassy of Vietnam in London will closely coordinate with the relevantauthorities of Vietnam and UK to support the families of the Vietnamesevictims, if any, to bring their loved ones home.
“We strongly condemn theinhuman activities of the traffickers of illegal immigrants that have causedsuch a tragedy for the victims and their families. Vietnam will work closelywith UK to bring the criminals to justice and find effective measures toprevent similar tragedy from happening again in the future,” the statement said.
♒ Any request for consular protection, please contact theEmbassy of Vietnam in London at hot line of +44 7713 181 501 or the ConsularDepartment in Vietnam at the hotline of +84 981 84 84 84./.
The Vietnamese Embassy in the UK has said it is ready to take citizen protection measures if any of the 39 people found dead in a container at Waterglade industrial park in Essex on October 23 are confirmed to be from Vietnam.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been working hard to support the British side to speed up the process of identifying the nationalities and names of the victims of a tragedy in which 39 people were found dead in a container truck in Essex county of the UK on October 23.
Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung has thanked the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and relevant agencies of the UK for their active support and sharing of information related to lorry deaths in Essex with Vietnam.
Gen. To Lam, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security, held telephone talks in the afternoon of October 30 with Priti Patel, Home Secretary of the UK, on the coordination of work in defining the identities of the victims believed to be of the Vietnamese nationality, in the incident that 39 people were found dead in a container truck in the UK on October 23.
Police in the central province of Ha Tinh on October 31 decided to start criminal proceedings against a case of organising and brokering illegal emigration in the locality under Article 349 of the Penal Code.
Visiting Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) Bernd Lange spoke to reporters in Hanoi on October 31 about the European Commission (EC)’s ‘yellow card’ to Vietnam’s fisheries sector.
UK police said they believe all victims in the Essex lorry death case are Vietnamese, adding that they have identified some of the victims and have contacted the Vietnamese Government and some families in the UK and Vietnam.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The scene of the tragedy (Source: Reuters/VNA) 
