This archive report was first published on 7 November 2019.
On October 23, a gruesome discovery was made in Essex, England, when 39 bodies were found in the back of a refrigerated truck that had just entered Britain on a ferry from Belgium.
According to Vietnamese authorities, the victims hailed from six provinces in Vietnam, which are common feeders for illegal emigration.
Nguyen Dinh Gia, the father of Nguyen Dinh Luong, one of the victims, expressed his hope that his son's body would soon be brought home, saying, "Our hope now is the body of my son will be brought home soon," in a statement to AFP on Thursday.
Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Vietnam's Prime Minister, wrote to the victims' families, stating that the tragedy had caused them and Vietnamese people around the world "endless pain".
Essex Police confirmed that a coroner had formally identified all the victims, and their families had been informed.
Assistant Chief Constable Tim Smith said, "This is an important step in the investigation and enables us to work with our Vietnamese police colleagues to support the families of those victims," in a statement.
The investigation is ongoing, with police in Britain charging the 25-year-old driver of the refrigerated lorry with manslaughter, money laundering, and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
