Relatives of all 39 Vietnamese people who were found dead in Essex, the UK a month ago have to pay for the repatriation of their beloved, local media has quoted governmental officials as saying.

Deputy Minister of Vietnamese Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. Photo: Lao Dong

No funding from the British authorities and the Vietnamese government will be offered but the government of Vietnam will pay in advance for the fee to bring the remains to Hanoi, according to Deputy Minister of Vietnamese Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and the ministry’s Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang.

The families will pay the fees for the government within 30 days without bearing any bank interests, local media reported.

In case of donation for the repatriation, the donors need to work directly with local governments and families, local media quoted Deputy Minister Bui Thanh Son as saying earlier this week on the sidelines of the ongoing National Assembly session.

In a document sent to the families, fees are estimated to reach EUR1,370 (US$1,509) and EUR2,208 (US$2,432) for repatriating ashes and a body, respectively. The fees are 50% lower than the actual cost, according to local media.

Some of the families wish to receive their beloved intact after they were offered two options of either ashes after cremation or bodies.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to work with the British authorities for the repatriation. Specific timing has not been known yet.