The Independent reports that Vietnamese families are fearing their missing relatives are among those killed in the back of a lorry in Essex.
On Thursday it was believed that the 39 people found dead in the lorry container were all Chinese nationals.
It has since been revealed that many of the victims were Vietnamese.
A text from a missing 26-year-old Vietnamese woman named Pham Thi Tra My was sent to her mother stating that she was dying.
“I’m sorry Mom. My path to abroad doesn’t succeed. Mom, I love you so much! I’m dying bcoz I can’t breath… I’m from Nghen, Can Loc, Ha Tinh, Vietnam… I am sorry, Mom”.
The text was sent at 4.28am on Wednesday Vietnamese time – 10:28pm GMT.
Ms Pham’s brother revealed the family had paid smugglers £30,000 to get her to England. Her last known location was Belgium.
On Saturday the Vietnamese ministry of foreign affairs said the Vietnamese embassy in London is collaborating with police and to identify victims.
Father Anthony Dang Huu Nam, a Catholic priest in Vietnam’s Nghe An province said he was liaising with family members of the victims.
“The whole district is covered in sorrow,” Nam said.
“I’m still collecting contact details for all the victims’ families, and will hold a ceremony to pray for them tonight. This is a catastrophe for our community.”
Vietnam-based NGO Human Rights Space coordinator Hoa Nghiem said many other families have also been victims in the incident,
“My local contact confirmed five other families from the same district submitted a report to the police about their family members,” Hoa said.
Maurice Robinson, 25, of Craigavon in Northern Ireland, is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court later on Monday.
