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

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

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

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

To receive assistance related to the case, people cancontact the Vietnamese embassy via its hotline for assisting overseasVietnamese at +44 7713 181501 or Vietnam’s citizen protection hotline at  +849818484 84.

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

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

He tasked the Foreign Ministry to direct the VietnameseEmbassy in the UK to work with local agencies in identifying the victims andcarrying out citizen protection measures if needed.

The PM required reports on the case from authorities to besubmitted to him by November 5./.VNA

Vietnamese Embassy in UK helps with identification of container tragedy victims

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked the Vietnamese Embassy of in the UK to work closely with local police to verify nationalities of victims of a tragedy in which 39 people found dead in a container in Essex, the UK on October 23.