Families wait for U.K. to identify truck victims

Authorities now suspect the 39 migrants found dead in a refrigerated truck last week in southeastern England are Vietnamese, rather than Chinese. Police in central Vietnam said they have taken forensic samples from residents who believe their family members may be among the victims. About 24 Vietnamese families had reported missing family members as of Sunday.

Who is responsible? The truck’s driver, Maurice Robinson of Northern Ireland, made his first appearance before a judge on Monday via a video link in Magistrates’ Court in Chelmsford, England. He faces charges of manslaughter and other crimes but is not expected to enter a plea until Nov. 25. Police arrested and questioned several other suspects in connection with the crime.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s earlier report in The Sift about how the migrants got to England.