Britain ordered soldiers on Wednesday to start driving fuel tankers to replenish empty pumps, as motorists remained mired in queues after nearly a week of shortages, despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the situation was improving.

Britain has been gripped by a rush of panic buying that has left pumps dry across major cities, after oil companies warned they did not have enough tanker drivers to move petrol and diesel from refineries to filling stations.

Opponents blame the crisis on government incompetence and its unyielding approach to Brexit, which has blocked hauliers from hiring drivers from the EU since Britain abandoned the common market this year. London says the disruption is partly an unforeseen result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Business minister Kwasi Kwarteng said 150 soldiers would be driving tankers within a few days, and civilians would start shipments later on Wednesday using a government reserve fleet of around 80 vehicles.

Watch

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"The last few days have been difficult, we`ve seen large queues. But I think the situation is stabilising, we`re getting petrol into the forecourts. I think we`re going to see our way through this," Kwarteng said.

Johnson has sought to quell concerns, saying supplies were returning to normal while also urging people not to panic buy.

A shortage of around 100,000 drivers has sown chaos through supply chains and raised the spectre of empty shelves and price increases at Christmas.

<h2>No guarantee</h2>

Asked if he could guarantee that there would not be problems in the run-up to the busy retail period, Kwarteng said: "I`m not guaranteeing anything. All I`m saying is that, I think the situation is stabilising."

By the early morning rush hour there were already long queues of cars in and around London and on the busy M25 orbital motorway circling the capital. Signs were up at some sites announcing no fuel was available.

The gridlock has sparked calls for doctors, nurses and other essential workers to be given priority access to fuel, a move Johnson has resisted.

Industry groups said the worst of the shortages seemed to be in London, the southeast and other English cities. Fights have broken out as drivers jostled.

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents independent retailers who account for about two-thirds of all the 8,380 UK filling stations, said 27% its members` stations were out of fuel down from as high as 90 per cent two days ago.

More forecourts were reporting receiving deliveries and the situation was likely to improve further in the next 24 hours, but staff were experiencing "a high level of both verbal and physical abuse which is completely unacceptable," said Gordon Balmer, PRA Executive Director.

The shortages have left gaps on supermarket shelves and added to an air of chaos in the world`s fifth-largest economy. A spike in European wholesale natural gas prices has also tipped energy companies into bankruptcy.

To tackle the shortage, the government has said it will issue temporary visas to 5,000 foreign drivers, a measure it had previously ruled out after Johnson campaigned for tougher border restrictions as part of his hard line on Brexit.

"What we want to do is make sure that we have all the preparations necessary to get through until Christmas and beyond, not just in supplying the petrol stations but all parts of our supply chain," Johnson said.

Hauliers, petrol stations and retailers say there are no quick fixes as the shortfall of drivers is so acute, and transporting fuel demands training and licensing. European drivers may also be reluctant to take up the visa offer, which only lasts until Dec. 24.

Britain ordered soldiers on Wednesday to start driving fuel tankers to replenish empty pumps, as motorists remained mired in queues after nearly a week of shortages, despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the situation was improving.

Britain ordered soldiers on Wednesday to start driving fuel tankers to replenish empty pumps, as motorists remained mired in queues after nearly a week of shortages, despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the situation was improving. Britain has been gripped by a rush of panic buying that has left pumps dry across major cities, after oil companies warned they did not have enough tanker drivers to move petrol and diesel from refineries to filling stations. Opponents blame the crisis on government incompetence and its unyielding approach to Brexit, which has blocked hauliers from hiring drivers from the EU since Britain abandoned the common market this year. London says the disruption is partly an unforeseen result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Business minister Kwasi Kwarteng said 150 soldiers would be driving tankers within a few days, and civilians would start shipments later on Wednesday using a government reserve fleet of around 80 vehicles. Watch "The last few days have been difficult, we`ve seen large queues. But I think the situation is stabilising, we`re getting petrol into the forecourts. I think we`re going to see our way through this," Kwarteng said. Johnson has sought to quell concerns, saying supplies were returning to normal while also urging people not to panic buy. A shortage of around 100,000 drivers has sown chaos through supply chains and raised the spectre of empty shelves and price increases at Christmas. No guarantee Asked if he could guarantee that there would not be problems in the run-up to the busy retail period, Kwarteng said: "I`m not guaranteeing anything. All I`m saying is that, I think the situation is stabilising." By the early morning rush hour there were already long queues of cars in and around London and on the busy M25 orbital motorway circling the capital. Signs were up at some sites announcing no fuel was available. The gridlock has sparked calls for doctors, nurses and other essential workers to be given priority access to fuel, a move Johnson has resisted. Industry groups said the worst of the shortages seemed to be in London, the southeast and other English cities. Fights have broken out as drivers jostled. The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents independent retailers who account for about two-thirds of all the 8,380 UK filling stations, said 27% its members` stations were out of fuel down from as high as 90 per cent two days ago. More forecourts were reporting receiving deliveries and the situation was likely to improve further in the next 24 hours, but staff were experiencing "a high level of both verbal and physical abuse which is completely unacceptable," said Gordon Balmer, PRA Executive Director. The shortages have left gaps on supermarket shelves and added to an air of chaos in the world`s fifth-largest economy. A spike in European wholesale natural gas prices has also tipped energy companies into bankruptcy. To tackle the shortage, the government has said it will issue temporary visas to 5,000 foreign drivers, a measure it had previously ruled out after Johnson campaigned for tougher border restrictions as part of his hard line on Brexit. "What we want to do is make sure that we have all the preparations necessary to get through until Christmas and beyond, not just in supplying the petrol stations but all parts of our supply chain," Johnson said. Hauliers, petrol stations and retailers say there are no quick fixes as the shortfall of drivers is so acute, and transporting fuel demands training and licensing. European drivers may also be reluctant to take up the visa offer, which only lasts until Dec. 24.

British army to start driving tankers, fuel queues persist

Two members of an alleged people-smuggling gang stood trial on Wednesday accused of being responsible for the deaths of 39 Vietnamese men, women and boys found suffocated in a stifling, airtight shipping container near London last year.

The victims, nine of whom were teenagers and two aged just 15, were discovered last October in a container at the back of a truck on an industrial estate in Grays, about 20 miles (32 km) east of the British capital - a shocking incident which shone a light on global people smuggling.

Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones said the dead had been sealed inside a refrigeration unit, which was not turned on, in pitch black for at least 12 hours as the temperature rose to an unbearable 38.5 Celsius (101.3 F).

"What it must have been like inside that lorry does not bear thinking about," he said. "In short, they suffocated. There were no survivors."

He said an unsent text message on the phone of one dead woman, Pham Thi Ngoc Oanh, 28, read: "Maybe going to die in the container, can't breathe any more, dear."

An Irish haulage boss, Ronan Hughes, 41, and Maurice Robinson, 26, from Northern Ireland, the driver of the truck, have already pleaded guilty to manslaughter. On Wednesday, four other men accused of being part of the people-smuggling ring went on trial at London's Old Bailey court.

British-Romanian dual national Gheorghe Nica, 43, and Eamonn Harrison, 23, from Northern Ireland, deny manslaughter, while Harrison, Christopher Kennedy, 24, and Valentin Calota, 37, deny conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

Nica admitted that offence earlier on Wednesday, but denies any involvement in the fatal incident.

The Vietnamese migrants' journey began in northern Europe on Oct. 22 when the container was driven by Harrison to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge where it was loaded onto a cargo ship for England, Emlyn Jones said.

Shortly after midnight on Oct. 23 at the English port of Purfleet, it was picked up by Robinson. He stopped almost immediately after being sent a message by his boss which said: "Give them air quickly, but don’t let them out".

"What he found must haunt him still," Emlyn Jones told the court. "For the 39 men and women inside, that trailer had become their tomb."

HUGE SUMS

The prosecutor said there were huge sums to be made from people smuggling, with people paying upwards of 10,000 pounds ($12,887.00) to cross the English Channel in the back of a truck.

He said the gang had successfully brought in truckloads of migrants previously, with Nica organising their dispersal and Calota one of their drivers. In May 2018, Harrison was stopped at Coquelles in northern France with 18 Vietnamese nationals hidden in his truck. He was given a fine, but never paid it.

On this occasion, however, Emlyn Jones said something "went dreadfully wrong". Truck driver Kennedy, who was not involved in the fatal trip, texted a friend on the morning the bodies were found, saying: "Must have been too many and run out of air".

Most of the 39 victims - 28 men, eight women and three boys aged between 15 and 44 - were from Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces in north-central Vietnam, where poor job prospects and other factors spur migration.

Last month, a court in Vietnam sentenced four Vietnamese people to between 2-1/2 and 7-1/2 years in prison for their role in the deaths. Police said the defendants had arranged for one of the women to travel illegally to France and then to Britain for $22,000.

The trial at London's Central Court is expected to last about six weeks.

Two members of an alleged people-smuggling gang stood trial on Wednesday accused of being responsible for the deaths of 39 Vietnamese men, women and boys found suffocated in a stifling, airtight shipping container near London last year.

Two members of an alleged people-smuggling gang stood trial on Wednesday accused of being responsible for the deaths of 39 Vietnamese men, women and boys found suffocated in a stifling, airtight shipping container near London last year. The victims, nine of whom were teenagers and two aged just 15, were discovered last October in a container at the back of a truck on an industrial estate in Grays, about 20 miles (32 km) east of the British capital - a shocking incident which shone a light on global people smuggling. Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones said the dead had been sealed inside a refrigeration unit, which was not turned on, in pitch black for at least 12 hours as the temperature rose to an unbearable 38.5 Celsius (101.3 F). "What it must have been like inside that lorry does not bear thinking about," he said. "In short, they suffocated. There were no survivors." He said an unsent text message on the phone of one dead woman, Pham Thi Ngoc Oanh, 28, read: "Maybe going to die in the container, can't breathe any more, dear." An Irish haulage boss, Ronan Hughes, 41, and Maurice Robinson, 26, from Northern Ireland, the driver of the truck, have already pleaded guilty to manslaughter. On Wednesday, four other men accused of being part of the people-smuggling ring went on trial at London's Old Bailey court. British-Romanian dual national Gheorghe Nica, 43, and Eamonn Harrison, 23, from Northern Ireland, deny manslaughter, while Harrison, Christopher Kennedy, 24, and Valentin Calota, 37, deny conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Nica admitted that offence earlier on Wednesday, but denies any involvement in the fatal incident. The Vietnamese migrants' journey began in northern Europe on Oct. 22 when the container was driven by Harrison to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge where it was loaded onto a cargo ship for England, Emlyn Jones said. Shortly after midnight on Oct. 23 at the English port of Purfleet, it was picked up by Robinson. He stopped almost immediately after being sent a message by his boss which said: "Give them air quickly, but don’t let them out". "What he found must haunt him still," Emlyn Jones told the court. "For the 39 men and women inside, that trailer had become their tomb." HUGE SUMS The prosecutor said there were huge sums to be made from people smuggling, with people paying upwards of 10,000 pounds ($12,887.00) to cross the English Channel in the back of a truck. He said the gang had successfully brought in truckloads of migrants previously, with Nica organising their dispersal and Calota one of their drivers. In May 2018, Harrison was stopped at Coquelles in northern France with 18 Vietnamese nationals hidden in his truck. He was given a fine, but never paid it. On this occasion, however, Emlyn Jones said something "went dreadfully wrong". Truck driver Kennedy, who was not involved in the fatal trip, texted a friend on the morning the bodies were found, saying: "Must have been too many and run out of air". Most of the 39 victims - 28 men, eight women and three boys aged between 15 and 44 - were from Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces in north-central Vietnam, where poor job prospects and other factors spur migration. Last month, a court in Vietnam sentenced four Vietnamese people to between 2-1/2 and 7-1/2 years in prison for their role in the deaths. Police said the defendants had arranged for one of the women to travel illegally to France and then to Britain for $22,000. The trial at London's Central Court is expected to last about six weeks.

Four men on trial over death of 39 Vietnamese migrants in UK truck container

The 39 migrants found dead in a refrigerated truck near London are believed to be Vietnamese, police said Friday as they renewed their appeal for two men to help with the investigation.

"At this time, we believe the victims are Vietnamese nationals, and we are in contact with the Vietnamese government," Essex Police chief Tim Smith said in a statement.

"We are in direct contact with a number of families in Vietnam and the UK, and we believe we have identified families for some of the victims whose journey ended in tragedy on our shores," he said.

But he added that the "confirmatory evidence" required to name the victims had not yet been obtained.

Police have also said they wanted to speak to Ronan and Christopher Hughes, two brothers in the haulage business from Northern Ireland, in connection with the discovery of the bodies at an industrial estate last month.

Police had initially said the victims were believed to be Chinese nationals.

Detective Chief Inspector Dan Stoten said on a visit to Belfast that officers had already spoken to Ronan Hughes by telephone but needed to talk to him again in person.

"The sooner we can make this happen the sooner we can progress and continue with our investigation," he said.

The victims -- eight women and 31 men -- were found in a truck that entered Britain on a ferry from Belgium.

Post-mortem examinations are being carried out and no formal cause of death has been released.

A multinational police investigation is now underway in a case that has shocked Britain and renewed debates about ways to stop human trafficking.

In Vietnam, police on Friday announced the arrest of two people for trafficking in connection with the deaths.

The pair were accused of "organising and brokering for other people to go abroad and stay abroad illegally", a Vietnamese police statement said.

In Dublin, a 23-year-old man from Northern Ireland appeared at Ireland's High Court for the start of extradition proceedings to bring him to Britain.

He is charged with 39 offences of manslaughter, as well as immigration and human trafficking offences.

The 25-year-old driver of the refrigerated lorry, also from Northern Ireland, has been charged with manslaughter, money laundering and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

Three other people have been arrested and released on police bail.

The 39 migrants found dead in a refrigerated truck near London are believed to be Vietnamese, police said Friday as they renewed their appeal for two men to help with the investigation.

The 39 migrants found dead in a refrigerated truck near London are believed to be Vietnamese, police said Friday as they renewed their appeal for two men to help with the investigation. "At this time, we believe the victims are Vietnamese nationals, and we are in contact with the Vietnamese government," Essex Police chief Tim Smith said in a statement. "We are in direct contact with a number of families in Vietnam and the UK, and we believe we have identified families for some of the victims whose journey ended in tragedy on our shores," he said. But he added that the "confirmatory evidence" required to name the victims had not yet been obtained. Police have also said they wanted to speak to Ronan and Christopher Hughes, two brothers in the haulage business from Northern Ireland, in connection with the discovery of the bodies at an industrial estate last month. Police had initially said the victims were believed to be Chinese nationals. Detective Chief Inspector Dan Stoten said on a visit to Belfast that officers had already spoken to Ronan Hughes by telephone but needed to talk to him again in person. "The sooner we can make this happen the sooner we can progress and continue with our investigation," he said. The victims -- eight women and 31 men -- were found in a truck that entered Britain on a ferry from Belgium. Post-mortem examinations are being carried out and no formal cause of death has been released. A multinational police investigation is now underway in a case that has shocked Britain and renewed debates about ways to stop human trafficking. In Vietnam, police on Friday announced the arrest of two people for trafficking in connection with the deaths. The pair were accused of "organising and brokering for other people to go abroad and stay abroad illegally", a Vietnamese police statement said. In Dublin, a 23-year-old man from Northern Ireland appeared at Ireland's High Court for the start of extradition proceedings to bring him to Britain. He is charged with 39 offences of manslaughter, as well as immigration and human trafficking offences. The 25-year-old driver of the refrigerated lorry, also from Northern Ireland, has been charged with manslaughter, money laundering and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Three other people have been arrested and released on police bail.

Migrant lorry victims believed to be Vietnamese: UK police

Vietnam said Saturday that it "strongly condemns" <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/migrant-lorry-victims-believed-to-be-vietnamese-uk-police-259383">human trafficking</a>, after British police confirmed 39 people found dead in a truck last week are believed to be Vietnamese.&nbsp;

Most of the victims are thought to come from central Vietnam, where easy-to-find brokers help to arrange trips to Europe -- often via Russia -- for migrants hoping to earn money overseas.&nbsp;

The extreme risks of the journeys were laid bare after eight women and 31 men were found dead in a refrigerated container in Essex, east of London, on October 23.&nbsp;

Two people were arrested in central Ha Tinh province for human trafficking on Friday, as British police sought more suspects.&nbsp;

Vietnam said Saturday it "strongly condemns human trafficking and considers it a serious crime," according to a statement from foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang.

She called the incident a "serious humanitarian tragedy", urging help to tackle the scourge of trafficking.

"Vietnam calls upon countries in the region and around the world to step up cooperation in combating human trafficking in order to prevent the recurrence of such tragedy," she added.

Officials are now working to identify the victims after DNA samples were collected from families in Ha Tinh and Nghe An provinces in central Vietnam. &nbsp;

"I think my son could be among the 39 dead," Nguyen Dinh Gia told AFP Saturday from Ha Tinh province where he has been anxiously waiting for news about his child Nguyen Dinh Luong.&nbsp;

The grim case has shocked Britain and plunged families in remote Vietnamese villages into grief.&nbsp;

It has also cast a light on sophisticated transnational trafficking networks helping to smuggle migrants into Britain.

The 25-year-old Northern Irish driver of the refrigerated lorry has been charged with manslaughter, money laundering and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

In Dublin, another Northern Irishman appeared at Ireland's High Court for the start of extradition proceedings to bring him to Britain in connection with the incident.&nbsp;

British police have also said they want to speak to Ronan and Christopher Hughes, two brothers in the haulage business from Northern Ireland.

Three other people have been arrested and released on police bail.

Vietnam said Saturday that it "strongly condemns" human trafficking, after British police confirmed 39 people found dead in a truck last week are believed to be Vietnamese.

Vietnam said Saturday that it "strongly condemns" human trafficking, after British police confirmed 39 people found dead in a truck last week are believed to be Vietnamese. Most of the victims are thought to come from central Vietnam, where easy-to-find brokers help to arrange trips to Europe -- often via Russia -- for migrants hoping to earn money overseas. The extreme risks of the journeys were laid bare after eight women and 31 men were found dead in a refrigerated container in Essex, east of London, on October 23. Two people were arrested in central Ha Tinh province for human trafficking on Friday, as British police sought more suspects. Vietnam said Saturday it "strongly condemns human trafficking and considers it a serious crime," according to a statement from foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang. She called the incident a "serious humanitarian tragedy", urging help to tackle the scourge of trafficking. "Vietnam calls upon countries in the region and around the world to step up cooperation in combating human trafficking in order to prevent the recurrence of such tragedy," she added. Officials are now working to identify the victims after DNA samples were collected from families in Ha Tinh and Nghe An provinces in central Vietnam. "I think my son could be among the 39 dead," Nguyen Dinh Gia told AFP Saturday from Ha Tinh province where he has been anxiously waiting for news about his child Nguyen Dinh Luong. The grim case has shocked Britain and plunged families in remote Vietnamese villages into grief. It has also cast a light on sophisticated transnational trafficking networks helping to smuggle migrants into Britain. The 25-year-old Northern Irish driver of the refrigerated lorry has been charged with manslaughter, money laundering and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. In Dublin, another Northern Irishman appeared at Ireland's High Court for the start of extradition proceedings to bring him to Britain in connection with the incident. British police have also said they want to speak to Ronan and Christopher Hughes, two brothers in the haulage business from Northern Ireland. Three other people have been arrested and released on police bail.

Vietnam 'strongly condemns' human trafficking after UK truck tragedy

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British army to start driving tankers, fuel queues persist

Four men on trial over death of 39 Vietnamese migrants in UK truck container

Migrant lorry victims believed to be Vietnamese: UK police

Vietnam 'strongly condemns' human trafficking after UK truck tragedy