Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee urgently directs the case of 39 people in the UK

Nghe An Provincial People's Committee has just issued an urgent document conveying the opinion of Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to districts, cities, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, Provincial Police on handling information related to 39 people who died in a container in the UK.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province directed the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to urgently review the number of local people working abroad related to the above information, clearly identify their identities and relatives to promptly encourage and visit (if any) and promptly report to the Provincial People's Committee through the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Provincial Police for handling; at the same time, take measures to stabilize the situation in the area.

Nghe An police (right) work with the family of a person who lost contact while crossing the border to the UK on October 22. Photo: Tien Hung

The head of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee also requested localities to regularly inspect and strictly manage labor recruitment units operating in the area to detect and prevent violations in this field. Strengthen propaganda and dissemination of laws on entry, exit, labor export and the modus operandi of the subjects so that people can prevent and denounce them.

For the Department of Foreign Affairs, it is necessary to regularly coordinate with the functional units of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to closely monitor the situation, coordinate closely to grasp information related to the incident, confirm the identity of the victim as a citizen of Nghe An (if any) to advise the Provincial People's Committee to direct the handling of the situation, discuss with functional agencies, local authorities and implement citizen protection measures according to regulations. Monitor and handle issues arising in citizen protection work for Nghe An people abroad.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also assigned the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to coordinate with localities to organize encouragement and visit families of those who died in the above incident (if any); strengthen State management in the field of labor export, closely manage the activities of labor export units in the area to promptly detect and handle violations in this field to limit the situation of illegal labor abroad.

British police examine the container at the time of the incident. Photo: REUTERS

For the Provincial Police, it is necessary to proactively grasp the relevant situation, coordinate with localities, promptly review, verify, and clarify the incident to advise the Party Committee and authorities to take appropriate handling measures according to the provisions of the law. Strengthen the work of ensuring security and order in the area, especially in localities where people died in the above incident (if any). Conduct investigations, combat, and destroy illegal immigration lines, and strictly handle violations according to the provisions of the law.

Earlier on the morning of October 23, Northern Irish driver Mo Robinson, 25, discovered 39 dead people when he opened the container door at the Waterglade Industrial Park. These people were believed to be on their way to enter the UK illegally.

The Vietnamese Embassy in the UK is ready to take citizen protection measures in case of Vietnamese victims. To receive support in case of need, citizens are requested to contact the following number:The Citizen Protection hotline of the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK is: +44 7713 181 501 or the Citizen Protection Hotline number is: +84 981 84 84 84. If you are in the UK, call the police hotline 0800 056 0944 and dial 0044 207 158 0010 if you are dialling internationally.