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Remains of Essex lorry incident victims arrive in Vietnam

Xinhua | Updated: 2019-11-27 16:11

HANOI - Bodies of 16 victims among the 39 Vietnamese dead in the Essex lorry incident arrived at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi Wednesday morning, Vietnam News Agency reported.   

Relatives carry coffin of John Hoang Van Tiep, a victim of 39 deaths on a truck container in UK, in front of a church at homeland in Nghe An province, Vietnam November 27, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]

This is the first repatriation of the bodies and remains, with victims coming from three localities of central Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh province. Upon arrival at the airport, the 16 bodies were handed over to representatives of localities to be transported home.   

Authorities of Vietnam and Britain are closely working together to soon repatriate other remains in later trips, according to the agency.   

Each body was transported on a separate ambulance arranged by local authorities, local online newspaper VnExpress reported.   

Earlier, Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Bui Thanh Son said that the government would advance funds to ensure the bodies and remains are brought home soon. The victims' families would then refund the government.   
According to Son, most of the victims' families wanted to receive the bodies and few prefered to receive cremated remains.

Airport workers unload coffins, carrying some of the 39 bodies found on a truck container in Britain, from an airplane for homeland repatriation at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, Vietnam November 27, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]

The fee to bring ashes to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi city is 1,370 British pounds (1,771 U.S. dollars), while body repatriation in a zinc coffin costs up to 2,208 British pounds (2,854.5 US dollars), according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   

All 39 people found dead in a refrigerated lorry in the British county of Essex in October were confirmed to be Vietnamese nationals.

They had permanent residence in northern Hai Phong City, northern Hai Duong province and central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh,Quang Binh and Thua Thien Hue, according to Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security. 

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