Sixteen bodies out of the 39 people found dead last month in a refrigerated lorry in the UK arrived in Vietnam on Wednesday morning, after weeks of efforts by families to have them repatriated.

The remains arrived on a Vietnam Airlines commercial flight from London to Hanoi, where they were met at the airport by waiting ambulances and security personnel.

They were quickly shuttled away en route to their home provinces in central Vietnam, where relatives anxiously awaited their arrival.

"We have been waiting for this moment for a very long time. We will organize the funeral as soon as he's returned," said Vo Van Binh, whose son Vo Van Linh was among the victims.

"We are very sad but happy as finally my son is back," he told AFP from central Ha Tinh province, where the family had gathered awaiting the arrival of Linh's body.

An airport security source earlier confirmed that 16 bodies had arrived on the flight and would be transferred to local authorities.

All 16 were from three provinces in central Vietnam – Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh – according to an official letter seen by AFP confirming the repatriation plans.

Other remains are expected to arrive in the coming days, although officials have not announced the schedule.

The bodies of 31 males and eight females, aged 15-44, were discovered in a refrigerated lorry in an industrial state in Essex, east of London, on October 23.

Police initially identified the victims as Chinese but families in Vietnam later came forward with fears their relatives were on the truck.

The families have been plagued for weeks not only by grief but also confusion over how to get the bodies home.

Families were given two options for repatriation: 1,774 U.S. dollars to bring back ashes, or 2,858 U.S. dollars for the cost of a coffin carrying the body.

Many have taken out hefty loans from the government to cover the cost of repatriation.

The tragedy exposed the dangers of illegal migration from Vietnam into the United Kingdom, a top destination for Vietnamese illegal migrants. Most of the victims hailed from just a handful of central Vietnamese provinces that are among the poorest in the country.

Several of the 39 people who died in the lorry last month paid thousands of dollars to brokers who promised the truck was the safer option – billed as the "VIP route" – their families told AFP.

Several people have been arrested in the UK over the incident and on Monday, the Northern Irish driver of the truck pleaded guilty to conspiring to assist illegal immigration, although he denied other charges against him.