British police on Friday released the names of 39 Vietnamese people found dead in a refrigerated lorry last month, including two 15-year-old boys.

Many were from the same pair of Vietnamese provinces, Nghe An and Ha Tinh, which are known as hubs for illegal emigration – and where relatives have been desperately waiting for news.

Of the 39 victims found in a shipping container parked near the south-east English port of Purfleet on October 23, 10 were under the age of 20 and eight were female.

The British and Vietnamese authorities are now working to repatriate the bodies.

Families of the victims had previously painted a picture of young men and women travelling abroad desperate for a better life.

Nguyen Huy Hung, a 15-year-old boy from Nghi Xuan district in Ha Tinh province, had left his rural village for Britain, to join his parents. His sister had already moved to South Korea.

Hoang Van Tiep, 18, and his cousin, Nguyen Van Hung, 33, from Dien Chau district in Nghe An, left a year ago together to move to France.

The younger man worked as a dishwasher before they both tried to travel to Britain.

On October 21, two days before the truck was found, Hoang Van Tiep wrote to his family asking for $13,000 to pay to smugglers for his trip.

Some of the relatives told reporters they were worried about how to repay thousands of dollars of debt their children took on for the ill-fated trip.

Pham Thi Tra My, 26, from Can Loc district in Ha Tinh province, had left home on October 3 and sent a final message to her mother from inside the truck.

“I’m sorry Mom. My path to abroad doesn’t [sic] succeed. Mom and dad I love you so much! I’m dying because I can’t breathe,” she said.

Essex police had worked with Vietnamese authorities to identify the victims, using fingerprints, DNA and medical and dental records.

“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,” said Assistant Chief Constable Tim Smith who is charged with leading the investigation.

In a letter to the families earlier this week, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc acknowledged the tragedy had caused them and Vietnamese people worldwide “endless pain”.

He vowed to “soon bring the victims back to the homeland”.

He also urged global cooperation “to eliminate this especially dangerous crime . . . and seriously punish the criminals”.

Vietnamese authorities have detained 11 people there for facilitating travel abroad with the intention of staying overseas illegally, but none have been formally charged in the wake of the tragedy.

British police have charged the 25-year-old driver of the truck 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.