Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung (standing) speaks at the press conference

Chairing a press conference in Hanoi following the Government’s regular meeting for October, Dung said that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has sent his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, and committed to doing his utmost to share this great loss.

While in Japan to attend the coronation ceremony of Japanese Emperor Naruhito, PM Phuc on October 25 directed competent ministries and sectors, including the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Vietnamese representative agencies in the UK, to carry out investigations and coordinate with the UK authorities to handle the case.

On November 3, he sent his deep condolences to the bereaved families in the incident while in Bangkok to attend the 35th ASEAN Summit, he added.

Currently, the identification of the victims is being carried out in a prudent fashion, he said, stressing that the identities will be announced at the earliest possible when the UK authorities release them.

“Under any circumstance, we must try our best to carry out citizen protection. This is the consistent policy of the Party and State”, Dung stated.

He said that PM Phuc ordered competent authorities to urgently investigate the case and mete out strict punishment to the wrongdoers.

“This is a lesson for us in migration management. Vietnam strongly condemns the trafficking of illegal immigrants, and calls on the international community to intensify measures to prevent and fight such crimes. Vietnam pledges coordination with authorities of other countries to punish those who commit such illegal activities and prevent similar incidents in the future”, Dung stressed.

At the press conference, Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Duy Ngoc said that based on information provided by families in Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces, 35 cases show signs that their relatives may be among the 39 victims.

Meanwhile, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung said that Vietnamese citizens who want to work abroad must abide by the Law on Vietnamese Guest Workers.

Currently, there are 400 businesses in Vietnam licensed to send Vietnamese guest workers abroad. In the past three years, more than 100,000 people were sent to work in the Republic of Korea, Japan, China’s Taiwan and Malaysia.

Dung suggested local people should go to work overseas via legal channels and not attempt illegal and perilous journeys./. VNA