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 Viet Nam.

The crime scene where the container was found (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

The embassy said it is keeping contact and collaboration with local competent agencies concerning the case.

The embassy had a working session with the British crime prevention agency and Essex police on October 25 and then visited the site where the container was found. The two sides agreed to closely work together and exchange information during the investigation and victim identification processes. The embassy has set up a channel for direct liaison and collaboration with Essex police.

The identification work following INTERPOL disaster victim identification standards is underway and likely to take some time. As of 1 p.m on October 26 (UK time), no official announcement on the nationality of the victims was released.

To receive assistance related to the case, people can contact the Vietnamese embassy via its hotline for assisting overseas Vietnamese at +44 7713 181501 or Viet Nam’s citizen protection hotline at  +84981 8484 84.

In a related development, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered local authorities to establish whether Vietnamese citizens are among the 39 victims.

The PM assigned the Ministry of Public Security to investigate illegal sending of Vietnamese citizens overseas, and strictly dealt with violations in line with regulations.

He tasked the Foreign Ministry to direct the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK to work with local agencies in identifying the victims and carrying out citizen protection measures if needed.

The PM required reports on the case from authorities to be submitted to him by November 5.

(Source: VNA)