Cocklers' bodies return to China

By Francis Markus
BBC correspondent in Shanghai

The Chinese died off Morecambe Bay, in north England

The bodies of 21 Chinese cockle pickers who drowned in Morecambe Bay in north-western England in February have been returned to their families in China.

They will be buried or cremated after finally having been released by coroners.

The repatriation was paid for by the British government, citing the exceptional circumstances of the tragedy.

Two more cockle pickers died, but their bodies have yet to be found.

Eleven other Chinese are being allowed to stay in Britain to help police bring charges against suspects in the case.

Except for one man from north-eastern China, all of those flown back were from the south-eastern province of Fujian.

Its people, although they are by no means China's poorest, have a long tradition of venturing overseas in search of work.

Instead the cockle pickers found death in chilly British waters in February.

Several suspects have been charged in the case but Chinese officials say the victims' relatives remain bitter and angry, demanding that the so-called snakeheads or people smugglers be punished.

They are also seeking compensation for the loss of breadwinners.

The deaths of the cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay caused shock and distress both in Britain and China.

A new law has been drafted in the British parliament to tackle gang master operations but there is little sense in China that this is a problem that is about to go away.