Family of 19-year-old Vietnamese victim in British truck deaths receive her body
It was the journey home that 19 year-old Anna Bui Thi Nhung was never meant to make.
Her casket among the remains of 23 victims which arrived at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi early on Saturday (November 30), part of the last of the bodies of the 39 Vietnamese people found dead in a truck near London last month.
Finally bringing to a close a tragic saga that has devastated rural communities in the Southeast Asian country.
The local Catholic priest spoke on behalf of Anna's family.
(SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) PHAOLO NGUYEN DUC VINH, LOCAL CATHOLIC PRIEST, SAYING:
"The authorities here and overseas in the UK has created every possible favorable condition to bring the bodies home, which is the one thing that Anna's family wished for the most. On behalf of their family, I'd like to thank everyone that have cooperated to overcome all the difficulties to bring her body back home to the family."
The family said Anna will be buried at a rice paddy nearby in a ceremony that will take place on Sunday (December 1).
On the doomed journey, she had flown from Vietnam to Russia first, then crossed into Latvia.
From there she moved to Lithuania, then Poland, Germany, and Belgium.
She had hoped to be reunited with her boyfriend, who had already made it to Britain.
Police in Vietnam have arrested 10 people in connection with the deaths.
On Monday (November 25), the British driver of the truck admitted plotting to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property.
