Tourist Ship Sinks on Ha Long Bay

Quang Ninh Province’s police on February 20 arrested the captain and chief mechanic of the sunken (overnight) tourist boat that killed 12 tourists on February 17 at 5 A.M.



下龍灣遊船沈沒

廣寧省的警察在2月20日拘捕了 (過夜)遊船的船長和技工 兩人涉嫌在2月17日清晨5點沈船事件中造成12名旅客死亡


The Truong Hai, one of about 100 small ships that offer tours of Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, sunk on Feb. 17 at 5 A.M. Vietnamese time, killing 12 people, two from the United States. The boat sank while passengers were sleeping. Early reports suggest that there were 27 people aboard. Among the dead are tourists from countries such as Britain, Australia, Sweden, Japan and the two from the United States.

According to Nguoi Lao Dong (Laborers) Newspaper, police on February 20 arrested captain Nguyen Van Minh, 22, and chief mechanic Do Van Thang, 27 of Truong Hai boat for investigation.

This incident follows a 2009 sinking that cost the lives of five passengers and the 2006 storm that capsized many boats, killing 13 people, though no tourists were among the dead. In 2002, two boats were capsized killing several.