Vietnam collects DNA samples from relatives of UK missing

Vietnamese officials collected DNA samples on Sunday from relatives of those feared among 39 people found dead in a truck in Britain, security and family told AFP, as villagers held emotional prayers for the victims.

The 31 men and eight women found dead were initially identified as Chinese, but several Vietnamese families have come forward saying they believe their relatives are among the dead.

The grim case has cast light on the extreme dangers facing illegal migrants seeking better lives in Europe.

Many of the suspected victims are believed to have come from impoverished villages in central Vietnam, a feeder of illegal migrants chasing promises of riches overseas.

Few were believed to be carrying identification, and families in the area have anxiously awaited news of their loved ones.

A security source in Vietnam said a team had been dispatched to the area on Sunday to collect DNA samples from relatives of suspected victims.

"We have started collecting hair and blood samples of ...