Hunt for seven people missing from care home
AGE assessments were being carried out on seven Vietnamese people at the time of their disappearance from a care home in Rochdale, authorities have confirmed as the search for them continues.
Police, who launched an appeal for information on their whereabouts earlier this week, initially said the group were aged 15-17.
But now Rochdale council has confirmed assessments to establish the age of the seven unnamed male and female immigrants were being carried out at the time they went missing.
They were among a group of 23 Vietnamese who were discovered by police in a lorry at Birch services on the M62 on June 2.
The seven claimed to be under 18 and were placed in care in Rochdale, according to national guidelines, until their ages could be established.
A spokesman for Rochdale council said: “We are working with immigration services to locate a number of people who are missing from the Rochdale area and require further age assessments to determine whether they are young people or adults so that they can be supported and managed by the appropriate services.”
A spokeswoman from the Home Office said: “Immigration Enforcement was contacted by Greater Manchester Police after officers attended an incident on Friday, June 2.
“Police officers encountered 23 individuals who presented themselves as being from Vietnam.
“All were referred to the Home Office and their cases will be progressed in line with the immigration rules.
“Those who presented themselves as minors were taken into the care of Social Services on June 2.”
On Tuesday GMP Rochdale posted an appeal for information on the whereabouts of the seven missing people on its Facebook page, although it is understood police are no longer involved in the investigation.
The post said: “Greater Manchester Police are becoming concerned for the welfare of seven Vietnamese national children aged 15 to 17 years old, who have gone missing from a care home in Rochdale. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of any of the individuals, please contact GMP or ring 101.”