Young teens among Essex truck victims. Video / David Doyle
Two 15-year-old boys were among the victims of the Essex truck deaths, police have revealed.
Essex police released the names and ages of the 39 Vietnamese victims on Friday, having completed the painstaking task of identifying the bodies and notifying the families.
"This was an incredibly important process and our team has been working hard to bring answers to worried families who fear their loved one may be among those whose tragic journey ended on our shores," assistant chief constable Tim Smith said.
Photo / AP
"Our priority has been to identify the victims, to preserve the dignity of those who have died and to support the victims' friends and families, news.com.au reports.
The youngest victims were two 15-year-old boys from Ha Tinh and Hai Phong in Vietnam's north, while the oldest was a 44-year-old man from Dien Chau, also in the country's north, according to the list.
A 17-year-old boy also died on the journey, police said, while most others were in their 20s and 30s.
"May I take this opportunity to offer my deepest condolences to the victims' families. My thoughts are with them at this unimaginably difficult time," senior coroner, Caroline Beasley-Murray said.
Boris Johnson signs the condolences book. Photo / AP
The victims were found in the back of a refrigerated container at an industrial estate in Grays, east of London, last month, sparking one of the largest murder probes in the nation's history.
Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security said it was now working to repatriate the 31 men and eight women.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities have detained 11 people in connection with the deaths for helping people travel abroad with the intention of staying overseas illegally. None have been formally charged.
Police in Britain have also charged the 25-year-old driver of the truck, who comes from Northern Ireland, with manslaughter, money laundering and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
They are also in the process of extraditing another suspect from Ireland and searching for others potentially involved.
