The move followed a surprise inspection by the waterway police force at Nha Trang Tourist Port on July 21.
The inspection revealed that the boat lacked fire extinguishers and other mandatory safety equipment. Authorities ordered the operator to disembark passengers and barred the vessel from departing until the missing equipment was provided.
Police conduct an inspection of a tourist boat in Nha Trang (Photo by Trung Thi)
While checking a boat with 26 passengers ready to depart, police found it lacked fire extinguishers and other required safety gear. The operator was ordered to disembark all passengers and delay departure until the equipment was in place.
Another boat carrying 20 passengers to tour Nha Trang Bay was flagged for having an insufficient crew. The police stopped it and ordered the operator to bring all passengers ashore.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Bien, head of Waterway Police Team 1, said that any violations endangering passenger safety would be strictly handled. He added that vessels found unsafe would be ordered to disembark passengers and permitted to depart only after meeting all safety requirements.
Bien noted that crews must have all passengers leave the vessel and can only depart once full safety compliance is ensured.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Bien, his agency will soon launch awareness campaigns targeting boat captains, vessel owners, residents, and tourists to promote waterway safety regulations and emergency escape skills.
The Nha Trang Bay Management Board reported that the Nha Trang Tourist Port currently accommodates 305 passenger transport vessels which serve 6,000-7,000 passengers per day.
Following the tragic tourist boat capsizing in Ha Long Bay on July 19, the Nha Trang Bay Management Board has urged all inland waterway operators to step up weather response measures and ensure the safety of passengers and vessels.
