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.

Talking with reporters on November 21 on the sidelines of the National Assembly’s eighth session, Son said that the advance payment aims to support the victims’ families to repatriate the dead in a safe and prompt manner.

The provinces where the victims were from are tasked to work with the families of the victims to repay the money to the Government, said Son.

The Deputy FM added that relevant parties have discussed with the UK side about whether to bring the ashes or the bodies of the victims home, as well as flights and necessary procedures.

If any enterprises wishing to support the families in the work, they should work directly with the localities and the families, he added.

According to an official document released the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 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 2,208 GBP, or 66 million VND.

The ministry asked local authorities to make plans to receive the bodies or ashes and transport them to their hometowns.

The number of coffins and jars and repatriation time will be announced later.

On November 7, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security said UK authorities had confirmed all the 39 migrants found in the refrigerated 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.