The fire occurred at about 4.15 pm while the King Yacht was anchored on the Sai Gon River, around 200 metres from Sai Gon Bridge, in Thanh My Tay Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
After receiving the alert, fire and rescue forces were quickly dispatched to the scene. It took more than two hours to fully extinguish the blaze. By then, the yacht had been completely gutted and left blackened by the fire.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, King Yacht was a large composite-hulled vessel with a capacity of about 90 passengers. It operated in the high-end tourism segment, offering sunset cruises, dinner services on the Sai Gon River and private events.
The two-deck yacht was 28 metres long and 10 metres wide, with a maximum speed of 25 km/h. Its interior was designed to resemble a luxury floating restaurant.
King Yacht was owned by Dia Trung Hai Production and Trading Service Co Ltd, a company granted a domestic travel business licence in April 2025.
Before the fire, the yacht typically departed from Bach Dang Wharf or the Tan Cang area, taking visitors past riverside landmarks including Landmark 81, Ba Son Bridge and Phu My Bridge.
It was also operated on routes to Can Gio, including tours of mangrove forests, fishing experiences in Tam Thon Hiep commune, and the Bach Dang Wharf to Vam Sat ecotourism area route.
