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

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gujarat-blast-ANI

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed. (Photo: ANI)

ANI

Death toll rises to 21 in Gujarat firework factory explosion

AN EXPLOSION at an illegal firecracker factory in Gujarat's Deesa town killed 21 people and injured several others on Tuesday, officials said.

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

Child benefit, normally paid every four weeks directly into bank accounts, has undergone significant changes in recent months (Photo: Getty Images)

Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

MILLIONS of British families are set to receive a financial boost as child benefit payments increase from April 7, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

From next week, parents will receive £26.05 per week for the eldest or only child, amounting to £1,354.60 annually - up from the current rate of £25.60. For each additional child, payments will rise to £17.25 weekly, totalling £897 per year - an increase from the present £16.95 rate. This represents a 1.7 per cent increase across all payment categories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anant Ambani Walks 140 Km in Spiritual Tribute on 30th Birthday

Anant’s padyatra is a reflection of the larger cultural fabric of India

Getty

Anant Ambani embarks on a 140-kilometer spiritual journey on foot to celebrate 30th birthday

Anant Ambani, a director of Reliance Industries Limited and a prominent figure in Indian industry, has chosen a unique and spiritual way to mark his 30th birthday. As part of his celebrations, he is currently undertaking a padyatra—a traditional pilgrimage on foot—from Jamnagar to Dwarka, covering a distance of approximately 140 kilometres. The journey reflects his devotion to Lord Dwarkadhish, the presiding deity of the Dwarkadhish Temple in the city of Dwarka.

Anant began his journey from his family’s residence in Moti Khavdi, Jamnagar, and has been progressing steadily for the past five days. Walking an estimated 10-12 kilometres each night, he travels under the protection of Z+ security and local police, ensuring his safety during this significant journey. The padyatra is expected to take between seven to nine days in total, with plans to conclude at the Dwarkadhish Temple in time for his birthday on April 10.

Keep ReadingShow less
New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

Government urged experts to come forward to help draw up a new five-year TB action plan. (Photo: Getty Images)

New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

BRITAIN on Wednesday (2) urged health experts and sufferers of tuberculosis (TB) to come forward to help draw up a new five-year action plan as it deals with record rises in the disease.

In 2023, England recorded its largest annual increase (11 per cent) in cases since enhanced surveillance began in 2000.

Keep ReadingShow less