Sixteen of the 39 people found dead in a lorry in Essex last month have been repatriated to Vietnam.
Their bodies arrived at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport early on Wednesday and were being taken to their families , said the country foreign ministry.
It’s understood the rest will be repatriated later.
“After waiting for so many days, my son has finally arrived,” said the father of victim Nguyen Dinh Luong. )
“We are deeply saddened, but we have to hold back the emotion to organize the funeral for my son.”
However, the families will have to pay up to £ 2, 208 for the repatriation, according to a statement seen by Reuters.
A foreign ministry statement dated 14 November, seen by the news agency, said the Vietnamese government would initially pay the costs, to be repaid by the families at a later date.
The first victims to return home are from Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces.
Police said earlier this month the victims were from six provinces in total – the others being Haiphong, Hai Duong, and Hue.
Lorry driver Maurice Robinson pleaded guiltyon Monday to plotting to assist illegal immigration.
The 25 – year-old, who is known as Mo, was allegedly part of a global smuggling ring and was charged with the manslaughter of a group of men, women and children found dead in the refrigerated lorry in Grays on 23 October.
Robinson, from Craigavon in Northern Ireland, appeared at the Old Bailey via video link for a plea hearing.
He was not asked to enter a plea for the manslaughter charges.
All the victims – 31 males and eight females – were later identified as being from Vietnam, with the youngest two boys aged 15.
The tragedy has highlighted the risks taken by people desperate to enter the UK and the illegal network that ferries them across the globe.
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