Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Last messages of Vietnamese migrants: "I am sorry, I cannot take care of you, I cannot breathe."

UK trial on Friday(9) heard last desperate messages of Vietnamese migrants whose bodies were found in the container in Essex, southeast England, last October 23 after it had been transported on a cargo ship from Zeebrugge in Belgium.

"I am sorry. I cannot take care of you. I cannot breathe." British jurors  heard heartrending phone messages left by the migrants who suffocated to death in a sealed truck container.


The trial began on Wednesday(7) and is expected to last up to six weeks.

The prosecutor at the trial of four men said the 39 migrants -- including two boys aged 15 -- may have died because "greedy" people-smugglers attempted to carry out two lorryloads in one, after a previous one was intercepted by authorities.

The container had docked in the port of Purfleet just after midnight, and the Vietnamese passengers had been sealed inside in the dark for at least 12 hours, in unbearably high temperatures.

A forensic expert calculated it would have taken about nine hours for the air to turn toxic in the trailer, with death coming soon after.

Prosecutors have said the trapped Vietnamese were unable to get a phone signal inside the container, whose cooling system was turned off.

Around 7pm, about five hours before the truck reached Purfleet, Nguyen Dinh Luong, 20, tried and failed to call the Vietnamese emergency line of 133.

At 7:37 pm, Nguyen Tho Tuan, 25, recorded a message in Vietnamese for his wife and children.

"It's Tuan. I am sorry. I cannot take care of you. I am sorry. I am sorry. I cannot breathe," he said. "I want to come back to my family. Have a good life."

In another video message at 8:02 pm, a different voice could be heard saying: "I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I'm sorry. I have to go now." In a second message, the same voice added: "It's all my fault."

'Give them air quickly'

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones said that haulage company boss Ronan Hughes had, via a Snapchat message, instructed lorry driver Maurice Robinson to "give them air quickly but don't let them out" once he picked up the container in Purfleet.

Security camera footage showed Robinson park the lorry after leaving the port, walk to the rear and open the door slightly.

He took a step back and stood for 90 seconds before walking slowly back to his cab, the jurors heard. First he called Hughes, then the UK emergency line 999 to report the deaths.

Robinson and Hughes have pleaded guilty to manslaughter and to conspiring in people-smuggling.

Eamonn Harrison, 23, who is said to have driven the lorry to Zeebrugge, and Georghe Nica, 43, both deny 39 counts of manslaughter.

Harrison, Valentin Calota, 37, and Christopher Kennedy, 24, have pleaded not guilty to being part of a people-smuggling conspiracy. But Nica has admitted the charge.

More For You

modi-bjp-reuters

BJP supporters celebrate in New Delhi. (Photo: Reuters)

Modi's BJP wins Delhi assembly election after 27 years

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that "development had won" as his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory in Delhi’s local elections, ending a 27-year gap since it last controlled the capital’s legislature.

"Development has won, good governance has won," Modi said after Delhi’s former chief minister, a key opposition leader, conceded defeat.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uganda-high-commission-event

The event also focused on Uganda’s role in cultural diplomacy and sustainable development.

Uganda high commission hosts heritage event in London

THE UGANDA high commission in London hosted an event highlighting Uganda’s cultural heritage and investment opportunities at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Building. The event featured a performance by the Watoto Children’s Choir.

Uganda’s high commissioner to the UK, Nimisha J Madhvani, addressed the gathering, welcoming guests and speaking about the country’s cultural diversity.

Keep ReadingShow less
Maha-kumbh-pilgrims-reuters

Devotees arrive at the river bank to take a holy dip at Sangam during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, India on January 28, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)

India says 420 million pilgrims have visited Maha Kumbh

INDIA’s government announced on Friday that more than 420 million pilgrims have taken part in ritual bathing at the Maha Kumbh, a Hindu religious festival.

Organisers say the estimate is based on artificial intelligence and surveillance cameras used to track attendance.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bird-flu-Getty

There have been 27 confirmed cases of bird flu in England and one in Scotland during the current outbreak. (Representational image: Getty Images)

England bans 'bird gatherings' to contain avian flu spread

THE GOVERNMENT has announced a ban on "bird gatherings" in England as part of efforts to contain the spread of avian influenza.

The ban, which comes into effect from midday on Monday, will apply to fairs, markets, and shows involving various bird species.

Keep ReadingShow less
Matt-Jukes-Getty

Matt Jukes, the UK’s head of counterterrorism, has called for a social media ban for children under 16. (Photo: Getty Images)

Nine-year-old among youngest referred for far-right deradicalisation

A UK charity working to counter far-right radicalisation has seen children as young as nine referred for support.

Exit Hate UK, which helps individuals leave extremist movements, said its youngest-ever referral was nine years old, with the average age of those seeking help being about 15, according to The Times.

Keep ReadingShow less